


When the paths cross

by VenlaMatleena



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Love, Middle Earth, Mirkwood, Witchcraft, the elves - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2018-09-13 18:22:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 86,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9135979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenlaMatleena/pseuds/VenlaMatleena
Summary: The main female character, Ylenia, saves Legolas one day and her life changes completely.





	1. The end of solitary

She heard sounds of a battle echoing in the forest that surrounded her small cottage, the cottage that really wasn’t hers but in which she had been living in for some time now. The forest was always so peaceful and quiet but there had been a lot of unnerving noises coming from almost all the directions lately. Darkness was surrounding every corner and the trees were suspicious and scared, some of them were dying even. The amount of orcs had increased and they were bolder to cross the lands of the Woodland Realm. This made her life more complicated but she survived, she had to because she did not want to leave the place or risk getting caught either. Yes, she was trespassing the lands of the elves, keeping her distance to everything and everyone in the realm.

She ran out with her sword and followed from the shadows as a blonde, tall elf fought off nasty, ugly orcs. The elf fought well with two swords and bow and for a moment it looked like her help was not needed after all. This was the case until an orc that the blonde elf had not noticed jumped from the bush behind him and pierced the armor on his side. The first blow merely distracted him but the distraction offered a generous window of opportunity for an orc archer that fired an arrow from the distance. The arrow sank deep into the elf’s chest and he fell on his knees.

Now she couldn’t wait anymore and a choice had to be made; to stay in the shadows and let the elf die or go and possibly get caught and punished for trespassing herself. It really was no dilemma because she knew that she would be haunted by this day if she sacrificed someone else for her own benefit. Therefore she had to risk her secrecy and save the beautiful elf if that was possible. She ran from the shadows and killed the remaining orcs before the elf passed out on the snow that was turning dangerously red under him. She put her hand on his chest and pulled the arrow out with one motion. After that she pressed the wound with her hand and recited a spell that stopped the wound from bleeding. She repeated the same with the cut that was on his side. Luckily the bleeding stopped but the danger was not over yet.

She dragged the elf into her cottage with the help of her magic and then carefully removed the armor that covered the his upper body. She mixed herbs and potions and attended the wounds, she also recited spells as she sang to him to make him heal faster. The elf was very weak but she was confident that he would live because it was obvious that the elf’s aura was strong and his will to survive was strong as well. She tied the wounds and put him in her bed which was not big or fancy but it had to do now, even the elf in the uncommonly fine armor had to agree with her.

The next day there were two elf guards looking for the injured one. They knocked the door of her cottage and she opened it because she didn’t want to risk upsetting the guards since they might have dragged her to the palace and present her to the king, which was something that she couldn’t tolerate, not even as a thought. The other elf was clearly shocked to see her and was about to threaten her with his sword. Yes, she looked strange… she looked like a witch and those were always greatly feared.

\- Please. Your friend is here. she said and let the elves into the cottage. She explained to them what had happened and led them to the bed where their friend was sleeping.  
\- I must insist that you leave him here for a couple of days. He is too weak to travel still. she said with a firm, yet polite tone and bowed slightly. The guards talked to each other in elvish and then other said  
\- But-  
\- I am only thinking what’s best for him and how I can assure his speedy recovery. she stated and faced no further objections. The truth was that she was using her magic to convince the guards although the magic did not work that well on high beings like the elves. The humans were so much easier to control and to trick even. With the elves she had to be careful because they easily sensed if someone was trying to interfere their minds.  
\- We must go and tell the king. the guards agreed.  
\- No… please. she exclaimed. She had kept herself hidden so she was basically trespassing and she had one particular reason why she did not want to announce herself in the elven court. The elves looked puzzled and shocked. They exclaimed immediately  
\- But my lady-

\- I need help here. she lied instantly, just to keep the guards away from the palace, away from the king.  
\- There are still orcs in the woods. I either go and fight them or I’ll stay here and look after your friend, but I cannot be in two places at the same time. she rationalized because the elves seemed suspicious concerning her motives to keep them from telling the king about her.  
\- Very well. We will guard the forest but when the sun rises on the third day we must take him home. To our healers. the other elf said after having a conversation with his friend in elvish.  
\- Of course. He is much better now compared to yesterday… I am sure he will be fit to travel during the third day. she answered and watched as the elves left the cottage. They closed the door behind them and when she looked out from the window, they had already disappeared behind the surrounding trees.

\- I am sorry, but I cannot let them to take the news to your king, not now… I don’t have any other place to go. she muttered as she started to cook some soup. Later that day the elf woke up, although he was kind of “high” on the strong pain-medication fumes that she had made him to breathe while sleeping, so basically he was somewhere in between dreams and reality. When he was awake he said the most ridiculous things such as “your beauty is more fascinating than blue twilight in the winter” or “when you sing the world stops and listens to you, even the trees listen”. She smiled a little and turned her head away, no one before had ever said such beautiful things to her and in a way it made her very sad. Her life, the current state of it made her sad sometimes.

She helped the elf to drink and eat a couple of spoonfuls of soup and then he fell back asleep. She checked out the wounds again and then got some sleep as well after feeding the two guards that patrolled the forest. They thanked for the food even though it was apparent that they had gotten used to finer cuisine. The injured elf woke up again the next day. He tried to form sentences but it was better if he did not talk. In the morning of the third day she helped the elf on the horse and watched how those three elves, one with golden hair and two with brown hair disappeared to the forest.  
\- Please, do not mention about me to anyone. she pleaded before they left. The guard looked at her with widened eyes and stated with a confused tone  
\- I am sure that the king would like to know who saved his-  
\- No… please. I have my reasons and my reasons are my own. I do not wish my whereabouts to be known. she stated and bowed a little. Maybe the elves would believe that she did not want to cause any trouble if she behaved gracefully and maybe they would do as she asked them to. Maybe.  
\- Very well, that shall be the payment for your kindness. the other said. The sun was shining and her hair was shining in the light. The injured elf opened his eyes and for the first time he really saw her.  
The previous times his eyes had been cloudy from the medicine but not this time. Before he could say anything the horse galloped away. After this her life continued as it had been before this incident. She was again alone in the forest surrounded by the old trees that did not mind her presence. 

The golden-haired elf woke up in his bed. The healers had continued the healing process where she had stopped and he was now fully recovered, he did not even have scars to show that he had been ever even attacked in the first place and all he really had was a faint memory of someone, a woman that he had never met before. He had had strange dreams about that woman who looked very different from any people he had ever seen. He had to know whether that woman was only a creation of his imagination or if she really existed and therefore he asked for his two friends.  
\- My friends! he exclaimed when the two guards ran into his private chamber after being summoned by the elf’s servant.  
\- Prince Legolas! It is good to see you back on your feet again! the guard said and bowed his head.  
\- How are you feeling, my lord? he asked.  
\- I feel fine, no pain… a little stiff from all the laying down. he chuckled as he walked around in his private sitting room. Then suddenly he stopped and turned to look at his friends with a puzzled look on his face.

\- Listen… I keep having these dreams about a woman… Her hair is like nothing I’ve seen before as well as her face. Did she save my life? Legolas asked. The other elf looked hesitant; he had promised her not to talk about any of it but on the other hand it was the prince, more importantly his dear friend, who was asking. The prince had their loyalty, not some random woman in the woods.  
\- In the matter of fact… yes. However she does not want to be… exposed. the guard said with a hesitant tone and tried to avoid the eye contact with the prince.  
\- What do you mean? Legolas asked immediately.  
\- She did not tell us her reasons but we gave her our word. the guard explained.  
\- I wish to speak with her personally. I must… thank her. Legolas mu mumbled and shook his head. The guard gasped because he knew that she was a witch and he was worried of a possible curse that she could put on him for breaking his word. Therefore he stated  
\- Please my lord. I am sure she knows that you are-

\- Why did you not invite her to the court? Legolas asked. The behavior of his two friends did not make any sense because it was against every rule of courteous behavior that the savor of the prince was just brutally left into the forest when she should have been brought into the palace to be celebrated. The guard answered  
\- She did not know who you are and we did not tell her-  
\- I see… and why is that? Legolas asked with a slightly irritated tone. He could not understand the reasons behind his friends actions. He was the prince and saving the prince was a deed that had to be rewarded.  
\- We did not know whether she is the friend or foe of the kingdom. the guard answered.  
\- Well, if she was indeed an enemy of the elves, would she have saved my life? Legolas asked and scoffed. His friends agreed that “most likely not” and then left the room because the prince seemed like he was a little upset and needed to be alone.

Prince Legolas rested for a few days and tried his best to honor her wish but he could not. He had to know who she was, why she had saved him and then insisted on staying hidden. Anyone else would have been looking for a price or compensation for such brave actions. Besides, he was rather mesmerized and wanted to know if his dreams had any truth in them. If they did, he would much desire to know this mysterious warrior better.

In his dreams the woman sang strange songs that echoed in the forest. She fought the orcs but her fighting looked more like dancing and her hair shone like ice and snow in twilight. She was a magnificent, breathtakingly gorgeous creature that seemed dangerous somehow but in his dreams he trusted her blindly. She was not an elf, the elves had an aura of calmness and graciousness. Her aura was treacherous and intriguing, it was like a will-o’-the-wisp that draws the travelers astray from the safe paths… but still he trusted her.

The spring was getting nearer although the days were still cold and silent, there were still some signs… or… she sensed that the forest becoming more alive all around her, soon it would wake up and the snow would melt away. The winter had been cold and dark, finally now the life got easier and the sunlight found the forest floor almost every other day. The darkness felt unbearable sometimes and she welcomed the spring with open arms.

One day there was a knock on her door. She took her sword and placed it next to the door, unseen but still within the reach because you never knew if the people or creatures that wandered in the woods were actually friendly or not. There were shadows lurking everywhere these days and a person living in solitude could never be too careful about ones safety. She inhaled deeply and exhaled before opening the door. There was the golden haired elf standing on her doorstep. He bowed slightly and then returned slowly to stand straight. She was surprised to see him although this was what she had feared; the elfs friends revealing her location which would eventually lead to the king knowing...

\- Please, come in. she said and gave way to the elf who then entered the cottage. Legolas was surprised how plain-looking she was compared to his dreams. Her hair was tied and her face was pale in a fair way. She was very beautiful in his opinion… very… very beautiful and when he looked at her it was easy to lose ones guards and cautions. In that brief moment of first encounter he had decided that she did not want him harm but she was not to be trusted completely because her “plain looks” surely hid a secret. He was off his path although he didn't realize it himself.

\- How? she asked after the elf had sat down and she had closed the door. Legolas straightened his posture and answered  
\- My friends told me-  
\- Oh… she commented and regretted that she had not put a spell on them and made them to forget her whereabouts. Sure the elves were difficult to trick and their minds were sharp and clear but at least she should have tried. In a way she could not really blame anyone else but herself for such carelessness.  
\- Well I can’t blame them entirely. she muttered because she knew that those two elves owed her nothing and their loyalty did not belong to her, oh no. She was now more certain than ever that she should have tried to put a spell on them when she had a chance to do so.  
\- They did send you their apologies. Legolas mentioned as he looked around the cottage. It looked strange yet strangely familiar, just like she did.  
\- I accept. she said and smiled briefly. She monitored the blonde elf all the time. He was handsome, very… very handsome and there was something extremely regal about him... 

\- Let me introduce myself, my lady… I am Legolas Greenleaf, the son of king Thranduil. I believe that you saved my life not two months ago. he said and while he spoke, he stood up and bowed deeply. She was speechless because she had had no idea that she had saved the prince, although now that she had met him for real she had somehow sensed that he was someone important. Yes, his friends had said that the king should be notified, it all made sense now. She dropped a deep curtsy.  
\- And… how may I call my savior? Legolas asked.  
\- Pardon? she said as she tried to hide the slight state of panic that was creeping up from the corners of her mind.  
\- What is your name? the elf prince asked. He sounded friendly and safe but she knew that if she went to the palace, she would be in such a trouble because not only had she been trespassing the kings lands but she had also…  
\- My name is Ylenia. she answered and smiled politely.

Ylenia was a witch, her hair was black from the roots and silver from the tips, in the middle it was blue, from dark to light, almost like winter twilight with ice and creeping darkness. Her eyes were gray-blue and she wore always greenish-blue color around them and lined them with black. She looked powerful and mystical but it was kept hidden behind a mask of “no one important”. Although now she presented herself plainly without the colors, just to avoid attracting attention. She had a good reason to keep her identity from people, from the king especially.

Ylenia and Legolas talked about common things such as the forest and the state of the Middle Earth at first while eating some bread and soup but then Legolas had to ask some important questions which Ylenia seemed to avoid; every time Legolas changed the subject to her and her life in the forest, she went silent and answered without actually even answering. Legolas had not noticed it immediately but then slowly he learned to read her a little, just a bit but still enough.

\- I need you to tell me why you made my friends promise not to tell me who saved my life. he asked suddenly. Ylenia shifted her eyes from the elf to her soup plate which was now almost completely empty. She did not say anything, neither did Legolas until the silence got unbearable.  
\- I have my reasons… and I rather kept them as my own. she answered with a somewhat silent tone.  
\- It is obvious that you are trespassing and you rather keep yourself hidden. I must know what is going on. Legolas reasoned but his tone remained surprisingly warm and friendly, deeply concerned but not even a bit threatening. Ylenia had not expected it, not after all the stories she had heard about the Elf King.  
\- I am a witch, and yes, I am trespassing your fathers’ realm. Witches are not keenly welcomed to the foreign lands so I thought it was better to live in silence and cause no waves. she answered and then added  
\- I respect the forest and it has allowed me to stay here-  
\- And this is not your cottage either. Legolas stated.  
\- No. I found this when I was escaping from some orcs a couple of years ago. It was empty. Abandoned, judging by the state of it. she said and the last part turned into a mumble.

\- So I decided to seek refuge but with time it started to feel like a home and I could not bear to leave… And I did not see any reason why I should have left. she continued with a firm yet polite tone. This time she looked straight into the eyes of the elf prince and for a moment Legolas felt himself a bit threatened.  
\- A couple of years? he asked as soon as he had shaken the feeling of lurking threat away.  
\- Give or take. Ylenia commented and continued staring at him.  
\- How have you not been seen? Legolas asked curiously.  
\- I can stay unseen if I want. she answered and smiled a little.  
\- Why would you want to stay unseen? Legolas asked and furrowed his eyebrows a little as he sharpened his gaze. It was more than clear now that this was no social call, no, this visit would end up with her forced to ride into the palace with him. Ylenia was silent for a moment, she tried to evaluate the expression on Legolas’ face. He was not going to let the subject be and therefore she had two choices; she could tell him the truth or more like a selected part of it or… she could lie, but risk getting caught from the lie and suffer the consequences. The young prince seemed rational and kind, she decided not to lie.

\- There is a price for my head. she answered and raised her chin up defiantly. Legolas went silent and his face turned very serious.  
\- Are you a fugitive? A criminal? he asked. His tone was still friendly but it was lacking that hint of warmth that it had had before her revelation.  
\- No… I was supposed to marry someone… but I did not. I ran away to live in exile. she answered.  
\- They would have exiled me anyway because they wanted to break me and they were kind of hoping that I would return home eventually, most likely soon, and then marry the man whom I had never met. she continued and monitored carefully the look on Legolas’ face.  
\- Who were you supposed to marry? he asked. He looked like he was a little sorry for her but she did not let herself getting fooled with kindness and compassion.

\- Some elf… does not matter. Anyway… They were wrong; their precious daughter was not completely helpless alone in the world. So my father wanted to make sure that I would return; he ordered a reward to be paid to the one who would bring me back home or take me straight to my… so called husband. she explained. The subject wasn’t pleasant for her, that was for sure, just as her feelings for the man that she was supposed to marry were not exactly positive, it was very obvious as well, according to her tone.  
\- So you are not a murderer or a criminal? Legolas asked with a relieved tone.  
\- No… But I do prefer to keep my distance, my privacy. Ylenia stated and played with the last cube of potato with her spoon.  
\- But you are engaged? Legolas asked.  
\- How can you be engaged when you haven’t even been introduced to the man personally? she scoffed and stood up, took her plate into the kitchen sink and inhaled deeply. Then she turned to face Legolas who was still sitting by the table.

\- No… not quite. It was a long time ago. I am sure the whole deal has been long forgotten. I’ve just… gotten used to being alone now. she said, or more like lied. She knew that the deal still stood because elves did not die, forget or break any deals.  
Legolas was attracted to Ylenia, the mysterious witch. He knew it was insane but there was something about her. If he had not been the prince and burdened with the high expectations from his fathers side, he would have married her. Just to save her from the marriage to another, to a man that she had never even met, which seemed and felt like a cruel fate. He was sure that the life he could have with her would be happy for both, him and her. Maybe he could marry her anyway. If his father did not approve, he would be happy to runaway.

Legolas’ mind was enchanted with thoughts of adventure, strange places and intense feelings unlike any he had felt before. He was following the misty light in the forest that was leading him into the unknown territories where she ruled… Oh he wanted to follow that pale, ice-blue glow. He was mesmerized from her beauty, her strength and the way she carried herself. Ylenia was not a mere witch, no, she was something greater than that and Legolas knew it in his bones. It lured and terrified at the same time, she was like pale moonlight that blinded him during a crisp, freezing cold, clear winter night but he could not look away.

What Ylenia did not tell to Legolas, was that she was the princess that was supposed to marry the king of Mirkwood, the woodland realm, Legolas’ father. She had barely escaped the marriage and therefore the alliance between two realms had been broken. Some could say that she was awfully selfish but as an immortal being she just could not do it; live an eternity with someone who took it only as a business deal. Besides the rumors that she had heard about the king were just plain awful! She had heard that he was vain and cold, he cared about no one but himself and power. The Elf King knew that he was wise and cruel, above everyone else and he felt no shame for trying to gain from them… or use them for his own amusement.

\- You could have your privacy in the palace. There is no reason why you should live here. Legolas stated with a sincere tone and looked around. Yes, the cottage was very simple and life was struggle, especially during the winters.  
\- Life here is dangerous and you’re all alone. There is no one to care for you, to guide you through the hard times. It is completely unnecessary for a lady such yourself to be so isolated. he reasoned because he wanted to stay enchanted but he knew that he could not stay in the cottage, living a simple life like a commoner. No, he did not consider a common life as a lowly thing, sometimes he even thought that it was a privilege in a way because then you were not bound to certain duties but he knew that it was the life that he could never have due to his royal background. Little did he know that the very person he was talking with was actually a princess living hidden, leading a simple life. Ylenia smiled and then answered  
\- May I point out that I’ve been living here for some years now, all by myself and it has been fine-  
\- I can’t allow it. Legolas said with a firm tone. His voice was calm and it made Ylenia feel protected for a moment, in a way that she was almost willing to follow him out from the shadows. Apparently the prince was nothing like the king!

But it was a false sense of hope. Ylenia knew that if she followed him and left the shadows that had protected her so far, there could be consequences that could be the end of her… or maybe a start of something wonderful… No! It was surely better if her path did not join the prince’s but just crossed it by an accident. Legolas was just a stranger… a young elven prince who had stumbled into her life for a tiny moment and that was it.

In that moment it became clear to Ylenia; she had to escape. There was no other way. If she was taken to the palace she would have to either marry the king or be sentenced for trespassing but although it was not the first time she had to abandon home, it always felt hard and her mind filled with sorrow and doubt. Ylenia was silent, trying to come up with a plan. It was getting dark and there was a snowstorm approaching. This was her window of opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope this first chapter caught your interest :)


	2. Snowstorms and consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the story continues :)
> 
> Ylenia decided that the only way to avoid being taken into the Mirkwood palace is to escape into the snowstorm that was getting worse by every moment.

Legolas sat by the fire. He looked relaxed but it was obvious that he was following Ylenia’s every move. It was just how the mind of an elf worked; they were always somewhat on alert and their super senses noticed even the smallest changes in ones tone or expressions. Ylenia however was everything but calm; she was mentally letting go of the cottage that had become her home and she was trying to come up with a plan to distract Legolas and then disappear into the snowstorm. She knew that she had no other choice than to accept Legolas’ invitation to put his mind to rest and then put a spell on him to buy her a little time to make her escape.

\- Very well… she answered after a moment.  
\- I will follow you to the palace… but not today. There is a snowstorm coming, it would be madness to leave this cottage now. she continued and looked out from the window. The snow kept falling, gently still but she could sense that the weather was going to get so much worse very soon, any minute now.  
\- Yes. I do agree. Legolas answered. He smiled a little and for a moment Ylenia felt sad for tricking him in such way. Legolas after all was a graceful and sincere creature and he did not deserve to be betrayed like this, unfortunately he had left her no other choice since he had demanded her to follow him into the Mirkwood palace where his father was, patiently waiting, like a predator. Oh no, Ylenia did not want to meet the Elf King and therefore she had to deceit the sincere prince who was sitting comfortably by the fireplace. He was not the one to blame for any of this but he was the one that she had to trick. It was unfair but necessary.

\- I will make some tea. Ylenia said and walked to the stove. She knew that she had no water because she had used the last bit of it to wash the soup plates earlier. It was all going as she had just planned; she would say that she’ll make some tea but conveniently there is no water so she has a perfect excuse to leave the cottage. Ylenia took the bucket that usually had water in it but now it was empty… “Good” she thought and sighed like she had been surprised or disappointed. Legolas focused his attention to her immediately, “very good” she though and showed the empty bucket to the elf prince. “Empty” she chuckled and smiled a little.  
\- I need to go and get some water from the stream. Ylenia said and turned to talk to the elf face to face. She smiled, walked to the door, took a satchel and put on her cloak. She took the sword, fastened it to her belt and opened the door. Legolas found this a little strange but he reasoned that she wanted to be well-prepared for an orc-attack.  
\- Maybe I should come with you. Legolas suggested because he did not like the idea of her going into the snowstorm alone. There were many dangers that were sneaking in the shadows ready to take one off guard anytime when one was not paying attention. In his opinion two pairs of eyes were always better than one and he was an elf after all and the elf senses were useful in the bad weather.

\- No… she stated as she froze still, facing away from Legolas who stood up immediately because he got a strange feeling that something was not right. Ylenia immediately turned and continued  
\- I need you to look after the fire. This cottage gets awfully cold if the fire dies out. There are holes in the corners and warmth… it just… disappears. she explained and smiled sincerely.  
\- Very well. Legolas said and bowed a little. He believed her but he couldn’t let her go into the darkness and therefore he suggested the following  
\- But what if I will go and get the water and you’ll stay here… where it’s warm.  
\- That is very kind of you, my lord… but… you are my guest here. Ylenia said and bowed slightly and stepped out into the storm where the wind danced in her cloak as well as with her hair violently.  
\- Wait! Legolas shouted. She stopped, held her breath as she turned around. Has her cover been blown off? Did Legolas suspect something?  
\- You forgot the bucket. Legolas said and ran out with it. He gave it to her and looked at her like he knew what she was about to do. He had a bad feeling about this and just as he was about to tell her to get back inside she chuckled “silly me” and flashed an amused smile which distracted the elf prince from his suspicions.  
\- Oh yes. Thank you. Ylenia said and took the bucket.  
\- I will be right back. she said and looked into his eyes. 

It was like a spell that made the time slow down for him, buying time for her to run away, to disappear into the storm. The look in his eyes changed, the doubt was gone and he smiled with a nod. He went back inside and closed the door. Legolas felt strangely confident, but he did not know why, all he knew that he felt very relaxed and that Ylenia was the most trustworthy creature that existed. It was the spell of course but there was no way he could have figured it out just yet. The reason why Legolas had been somewhat easy to put under a spell was that he was attracted to her and he clearly wanted to believe what she was saying.

Ylenia walked through the snow to the direction of the stream and fought the urge to look back because it would have seemed suspicious. She had no idea how quickly the spell would wear out since she had never conjured a mind of an elf, not completely at least and she knew that it was usually almost impossible. When she got to the stream, she filled the bucket and looked back to the cottage. There was no one at the window watching, spying on her and therefore it was now or never. However leaving was painful, leaving Legolas was even more painful because she had gotten slightly attached to him during these couple of hours. Ylenia wished that she did not have to do what she was about to because Legolas… he was kind and gracious… tall and handsome. If only he was not the prince, the son of the man she was supposed to marry. “Life in the cage is not for me” she thought and lifted the hem of her dress as well as the hem of her cloak and stepped into the ice cold water.

The plan was to go across the stream from the place where it was shallow so there were no footprints on the snow, although the snow that was now falling even faster would surely cover all the tracks quickly. But Ylenia did not want to risk it. The water was only up to her knees at that spot and she got across easily. She had left the bucket on the other side, capsized so it would look like she had slipped and fallen into the water. There was no way Legolas would know how deep the stream was, so in her mind the plan was perfect and in his, she was dead, accidentally gone.

One last look at the cottage and Ylenia disappeared into the forest. In the meantime Legolas sat in the cottage by the fire. It had been almost an hour but it felt like 5 minutes for him. Ylenia had put three huge logs into the fire before she had left and now they were almost completely burned out. This made Legolas wonder, slightly confused even and the more he thought about it, the less it made sense and the less it made sense in his mind the more he was fighting against the spell finally freeing himself from it.

Ylenia ran in the forest. She was not really sure about the direction but she kept running. The truth was that she was happy with any direction as long as it was taking her further away from the cottage and keeping her as far away from the palace as possible. The wind made it hard to make any progress and the visibility was bad. She fell down many times and the tree branches made awful scratches to her face and arms. Ylenia had been wearing a dress that had only short sleeves and since she had said that she would only get water there had been no way she could had put on more clothes without raising questions.

Legolas went out and called her name a couple of times. There was no answer. The storm was getting very bad so he got worried. His mind was finally free from the spell and he understood that it had been almost two hours since she had left the cottage. The elf prince walked to the stream, found the bucket capsized on the riverbank but no sign of Ylenia. Had she fell into the water and drowned? Something told him that it was not the case. He looked for any tracks and saw a few broken twigs on the other side of the stream. Sure anything could have broken them but he had a feeling that those twigs were a clue which she had left unwillingly behind. Legolas jumped easily to the other side although the distance was more than three meters. He tried to follow any tracks but the storm was making it very difficult.

Ylenia got stuck. The seam in her cloak had torn a bit and a tree branch had gotten stuck in the hole it had made. She tried to pull it off but there was no way to free the cloak so she opened the clasp and left it there. The witches did not die from cold but they did not tolerate it like the elves did. The cold wind and icy snow hurt her and made her distracted so she lost her footing and rolled down a steep slope. When she reached the bottom every cell of her body was aching. Ylenia tried to lift herself up as she was laying on her stomach in the snow but there was no strength left in her. She sobbed silently and felt the snow with her fingers. Soon the darkness swallowed her mind and she passed out.

Legolas followed trail of the broken twigs and found the cloak that she had left behind. It had flown to the ground not far from the place where she had gotten rid of it. The wind had finally pulled it free from the branch and played with it for a moment. The elf prince took the cloak and squeezed the fabric in his hands. He blamed himself for not realizing her plans earlier and if something had happened to her now, he would carry the blame for it for the rest of his life with him. About that he was very certain. Legolas shouted her name again but there was no answer. He came down the hill and finally found her laying in the snow.

Legolas ran and knelt beside Ylenia, the mesmerizing witch, turned her over and wiped the snow off her face. She was still alive but her skin was cold and pale. Legolas pressed Ylenia against his chest and covered her from the snow as well as he could as kept calling his horse that had followed him into the forest and then lifted her with him on it. He covered her with the torn cloak and pulled her close to him so he could share some of his body warmth with her. Then Legolas told his horse to find his way back to the cottage that was now cold and dark but it was better than the storm and snow outside.

Ylenia did not wake up, she was alive but in a lifeless state and therefore Legolas thought that the most reasonable thing to do was to take her to the Mirkwood palace where there were healers and different medicines available. The elf prince waited that storm ended and then took Ylenia away from the forest. He carried her into the palace and tucked her into a big, soft bed that was kept always ready for high guests.  
Ylenia opened her eyes with a soft sigh. When she turned her head she noticed Legolas who was sitting by the bed and reading a book. The elf prince was bathing in the soft sunlight and his golden hair was basically shining as perfect as ever. He was wearing a silver tunic and dark trousers, leather boots and he kept turning pages one after another since he had not noticed that his guest was already awake. Ylenia sighed and gasped when she moved a little, her body was stiff and it felt annoyingly weak.

\- Where am I? she asked with a hoarse voice.  
\- My lady, you are safe. Legolas answered, put the book away and took her hand. Ylenia smiled a little as a reaction. His hand felt so warm and caring, so soft…  
\- You are in the Mirkwood palace. he continued with a smile on his face. Ylenia froze still and pulled her hand away immediately. The smile left her face and she took a couple of short, sharp breaths.  
\- Oh no! she sighed and got out from the bed. Her feet felt weak and she almost stumbled but avoided it by seeking support from a back of another chair.  
\- What is wrong? Legolas asked and looked at her puzzled. He stood up and rushed to help her back into bed but she refused his help.  
\- I need to go. she mumbled as she walked around in the room, clearly panicking.  
\- My lady. Let me assure you… you are completely safe! Legolas spoke with a calm voice. He did not understand why Ylenia was panicking in such ridiculous way.  
\- You don’t understand. she stated and stopped. There was terror in her eyes. Then suddenly the door opened and a guard informed that the king wanted to see Ylenia. She sighed as she exhaled a couple of times loudly.  
\- Oh no! she sighed and put on her cloak that had been repaired. She conjured herself the greenish blue and black colors around her eyes and straightened her hair by running her fingers trough it slowly. Doing so made her feel a little bit more confident and she hoped that it would be enough to mask her weaknesses. She pulled the hood up so it shadowed her face providing her a place to hide from the cold gaze of the Elf King. 

Then Ylenia nodded at the guard and followed him to the throne hall. Legolas followed them silently. His mind was filled with questions that he hoped would get answers soon. What did his father want from his savior? Why was Ylenia so afraid of the elves? What was that great secret that she was hiding from him? The king, Thranduil, was sitting high up in his throne. He stood up causing the heavy cape-kind of clothing to fall on the throne theatrically. He walked slowly down the stairs.  
\- And who do we have here? the Elf King asked or more like stated as he circled Ylenia like a predator circles its pray. She did not answer but her presence filled his mind; like a will-o’-the-wisp glowing in the darkness, luring him away from the light of reason into the world of mysteries. He knew who she was even though he had never met her in person. There was only one race in Middle Earth who was able to penetrate ones mind in such way. King Thranduil was not to be fooled though, he resisted and took control.

\- This lady saved my lif-  
\- Legolas, I did not ask you anything! the king hissed. Ylenia removed the hood before the king ordered her to do so and looked with defiant eyes at Thranduil who smirked for a fleeing moment and then the smirk left his face. He began  
\- Lady Ylenia. So you finally decided to obey your father and honor the deal-  
\- No. she stated and smiled, however the smile was neither a sincere nor a happy one. It was more like an attack. The kings aura was powerful; he was a charming man but she knew that he would use it against her if she let go of her guards even for a moment. But there was something more, hidden behind his cruelty and coldness and she was able to see glimpses of it; when she looked at him she saw loneliness… “No, do not go there, do not feel pity!” she commanded herself.

\- I do not have time for this now. Legolas… Show Lady Ylenia to the dungeon. Let’s see how her mind changes with time. Thranduil scoffed and motioned with his hand that he was completely uninterested about her or anything she could have said, or what his son could have said.  
\- Dungeon? I cannot, father! She saved my life. Legolas protested.  
\- Legolas! Thranduil shouted. His voice was full of anger. Legolas did not dare to oppose his father so he just nodded. He reasoned that maybe it was better that he took Ylenia to the cell and not some guard she did not know. This way he could at least make sure that no harm came to her and she was treated with respect. The witches after all were somewhat feared and despised by some elves. When they had exited the throne hall Legolas talked with a quiet voice  
\- I am so sorry, my lady. You saved my life and in return I got you into trouble.  
\- Don’t worry about it. Ylenia replied and smiled a little. None of this was Legolas’ fault and she knew that she had taken a risk by settling down in Mirkwood, into the very place that she should have tried to avoid. After walking in silence through endless corridors they finally reached the dungeons. Legolas took a key from the keeper of the dungeon and opened the door to a small room. She stared at the dark cell and swallowed her tears.

\- I will bring you some books and a candle… pillows, blankets… anything. Legolas said and watched Ylenia as she walked in the dark windowless room. He walked there with her and noticed that her aura, or presence felt less powerful in that small cell. It was almost like she had given up and did not believe that anything could save her now. The thought hurt Legolas because despite of all the questions, he was still very attracted to her and wanted to save her from everything and anything that was threatening her.  
\- Care to tell me what this is about? he asked after a moment. His voice was soft and there was a hint of sorrow in it. It was quite obvious that Legolas felt sorry for her and if it was up to him, she would not have been locked up in such cruel way.  
\- I do not know if there is much to tell, really. she answered and chuckled bitterly.  
\- I do not blame you if you’ll contact my father and claim your reward. she added and shifted her gaze from Legolas to the cell floor that was made of stone.  
\- Who is your father? Legolas asked.  
\- He… is the witch-king of Forochel. Ylenia said with a silent tone.  
\- The witches of the north have been feared and therefore our lands have not been marked in the maps. My realm is far up in the north, by the sea. The only place that has been marked is the Icebay of Forochel. We call it the Northern Realm. she continued and shifted her gaze back to Legolas.

\- What? You are a… princess? he exclaimed. He couldn’t believe it because he had never before met a princess living a simple life hidden away from the world like a commoner.  
\- Yes… And my father had made a deal with your father, King Thranduil, that if he, my father, ever had a daughter… she would move in Mirkwood and get married before she turned 1000 moons, which means roughly 83 years. Ylenia explained.  
\- I ran away and I’ve been on the run for almost 300 years now. I’ve kept my distance, avoided situations where my identity would get exposed. she continued and then paused.  
\- I see. Legolas commented with a silent tone.  
\- But the day I saw you... I knew the risks, although I did not know who you were… I couldn’t turn my head and walk away. Ylenia stated and sighed. Legolas felt incredibly guilty and commented  
\- If I had known-  
\- Don’t blame yourself. Ylenia pleaded and smiled a little.  
\- How can I not? You saved my life and then you ended up in the dungeon because of me! Legolas exclaimed. He felt terrible for it and he hoped that he had let his friends respect the deal that they had made with her earlier. If he had, Ylenia would be still living in the forest, free, not caged in a petty dungeon like a criminal.

\- Don’t worry about it. This is not the worst place I’ve been during my exile. Ylenia said and waved her hand close to her face which conjured the colors away. When she looked Legolas he noticed that she looked quite fragile and tired.  
\- I mean the orcs… They did not offer to bring me a book and a candle. she joked and smiled as she sat down on the bench that was in the back end of the cell.  
\- Have you been captured by the orcs? Legolas asked with a shocked voice and sat down beside her. She leaned onto the wall and chuckled as she went through her life in her mind, all the tricky situations she had managed to get away from, all that and still she had ended up here… in the dungeon of the Elf King.  
\- Yes… for a couple of days and then I escaped… But it happened a long time ago. Ylenia commented like it was no big deal, although the truth was that she had been somewhat terrified at the time, almost certain that she was facing her death soon but she had been wrong.  
\- That is… terrible! Legolas exclaimed. He got instantly a vivid mental image of Ylenia being captured by the filthy orcs and even the mere thought of it was almost too much to grasp.  
\- Well… It is something I rather not… speak about. Ylenia stated and sighed. Her hand was on her lap, suddenly Legolas put his hand on top of it and brushed his thumb softly against the back of it as well as her knuckles. She smiled a little as she tried to convince herself that this was not that bad, she had been in far worse places than this.

A guard entered the cell and spoke in elvish. Legolas stood up and bowed as a goodbye. He ordered the guard to make a decent bed for Ylenia and to bring her some books as well as candles and then left the cell, walked up the stair and disappeared from the dungeons entirely. The door made a terribly loud sound when it was slammed shut by the guard. The sound echoed in the dungeon for a moment and then faded away. She pulled her legs close to her and fell asleep in the corner.

Someone opened the door. Ylenia heard the sound in her dreams but it took for a moment for her to recoil from the state of being only half awake. The second sound woke her up completely; it was a loud thump as two guards lowered a bed on the floor of the cell. The third guard brought a mattress, a few pillows and a couple of blankets. The first two guards disappeared from the cell but one of them returned with the candles and the books, he also brought a bottle of water and a glass. He told her that the dinner would be served soon and she could either join the king in the dining hall or eat in the cell alone. Ylenia told the guard that she wasn’t that hungry. She would just get some sleep and wished not to be disturbed for the rest of the day. “Very well” the guard answered, lighted the candles and then left the cell.

When all the guards had gone Ylenia reorganized the candles as well as the bed because that small, dark room was going to be her home for some time. For how long? She had no idea. After that she sat on the bed and started to cry. She tried to muffle her cries with a pillow but it was not entirely possible. Hours passed by as she stared at the ceiling. Every time she heard footsteps getting closer she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. There was someone now standing right outside her cell, looking in.

\- I know you’re not sleeping. a deep voice spoke. It was the voice of Thranduil. She did not answer.  
\- You insulted me by refusing my invitation for the dinner. he continued. Ylenia scoffed and then got reluctantly out from the bed. She waved her hand in front of her face creating the colors around her eyes and put on the hood of her cloak. Then she walked to the door.  
\- I was not hungry. she stated and then looked directly into Thranduils eyes. His eyes were just as icy-blue as hers and just as cold.  
\- Hm. I can see that you are rather close with my son. he commented with annoyingly emotionless tone.  
\- No, I really am not. Ylenia answered and felt the cold metal bars with her fingertips. It was that feeling of the cold and hard metal that really made the situation real to her; she was only a lowly prisoner.  
\- If it was up to me you would sleep on the floor. the Elf King said and took a despising glance at the bed. Ylenia chuckled defiantly. Yes the bed reminded her about one certain elf who was nothing like his father.  
\- If you put it that way then I guess it was a good thing that I saved your sons life. she stated.  
\- Although I had no idea who he was so if you think that I planned this… she said and looked around as she chuckled and spread her arms wide open to emphasize the word “this”. “You are wrong” she added, wrapped her fingers around two metal bars and suddenly pulled herself against the cold metal. The Elf King took that as an attack and yes, that was an aggressive gesture from Ylenia. 

Ylenia decided to test if she was able to trick Thranduil so she suddenly stepped further away from the door and put her hand on her forehead, dropped her head and shifted her gaze from the Elf King to the stone floor. She took a couple of shaky steps and acted like something had been wrong with her balance. Then she gasped once and raised her gaze from the floor back to Thranduil but this time her eyes were filled with tears and the colors were gone. This made her look heartbreakingly fragile.  
\- Something is wrong. she said with a barely audible tone before she fell on her knees. Thranduil however did not do anything but just stood there. Apparently the Elf King was not as easy to fool as one would have hoped, oh well, it was to be expected because he was about 6000 years old and seen everything by now. Ylenia started to laugh bitterly.  
\- Did you think I would fall into that? he asked coldly and glared her with a loathing spark in his eyes.  
\- I suppose not… she chuckled and kept laughing with a mocking tone.  
\- But I had to try. Ylenia continued and stood up. Indeed it had been bluff and she knew that Legolas would have taken the bate although she was not sure if she had dared to fool him so. Legolas had shown nothing but kindness towards her. There was not point to use that, his kind nature, against him because the odds were that the elf prince would just grow bitter and start to hate her for it.  
\- You will rot here! Thranduil exclaimed and glared at her with an angry spark in his eyes before he left.  
\- You can’t keep me here forever! Ylenia screamed and her sudden burst of rage killed all the candles with one snap which left her standing in the darkness.

But something was wrong and Ylenia could feel it. The feeling was surrounding her like a black cloud on a bright, sunny day making her unease. Maybe it was the uncertainty of her future or being captive that bothered her. But no, she did not regret that she had saved Legolas’ life although it had set into motion the events that had led to this moment, to this captivity and possibly to the arranged marriage that she had been running away from for almost 300 years.

The next day Legolas came to see her again. He had been forced to readjust himself and his feelings because the situation was much more complicated now; she was supposed to marry his own father and if he openly opposed his father’s orders, it would not be good. Ylenia would most likely end up being the one who had to suffer the outcome, whatever it would be. And about his foolish, irrational idea of marrying her so she could not be engaged to another against her will… well… The risk was just too huge, he had duties as the prince of the realm and even though he wanted to save the mystical creature from everything and anything, his hands were now tied. Friendship was all he could offer her now and if she had any deeper hopes for anything more, he would have to do the unbearable and keep his distance. He decided to go with warm friendship and then see how the situation evolved.

\- I was informed that you have not been eating. I brought some fruits, bread and cheese. Legolas said.  
\- You should not treat me with such kindness. Ylenia mumbled as an answer. She felt bad for getting Legolas involved into the whole thing but the truth was that he was the only thing that was keeping her sane right now. Maybe it was love, maybe it wasn’t but he was surely showing her kindness that she had not expected to finds anywhere in the Mirkwood halls.  
\- But why, my lady? he asked. Seeing Ylenia like this, trapped in a cage, locked away deep underground was breaking his heart and he regretted that he had ever gotten attacked by the orcs which had then eventually caused her to end up here, in the dungeon when she deserved so much more.  
\- I don’t want to cause any conflict between you and your father. Ylenia stated and smiled a little. It was the truth, Legolas was collateral damage and he deserved none of this.  
\- I do not care whether there will be conflict or not. I do not agree with him about this! the elf prince said and leaned to the bars with his back, he sighed and took a long look of the surroundings where his own stubbornness had led her. Ylenia got up from the bed and walked to the door. Legolas heard her footsteps and turned around, what he saw next shocked him entirely; Ylenia looked defeated and awfully tired, so different than she had looked in her small cottage, free and fairly happy.

\- Have you slept? Legolas asked. Ylenia shook her head as a reply. She had been mostly just staring at the wall, the flickering flames and thinking about her own life; what it had been and what it would become now. Despite the bed was very comfortable, which was a thing that she was grateful, she knew that there was no peaceful slumber for her as long as she was behind the metal bars.  
\- May I? the elf asked and took the key from his pocket. Ylenia stepped a couple of steps backwards as he opened the door. He came in the cell with the tray that had been filled with different kinds of foods. Ylenia realized how terribly hungry she was when she saw all the different foods on the tray but she was equally worried about the consequences that Legolas might face for his kindness towards her and therefore she shook her head a few times as she sighed  
\- You really shouldn’t-  
\- I heard that you had tried to trick my father… as an attempt to escape or something. the elf prince stated and glanced at the cell door that was still open. He placed the tray on the small table and sat on the bench.

\- I suppose you could put a spell on me and disappear from this cell… he continued silently with a hint of sadness in his voice. He was sad because he still was attracted to the mesmerizing witch even though he tried his best to shake the attraction off him. He wanted to keep her but then on the other hand in a way he knew that it would be easier if she just left and took her alluring presence with her. She haunted his dreams and occupied his thoughts when he was awake. She was like a wild animal that had been captured and now rattled the cage…

Legolas found it hard to remind himself that Ylenia was actually dangerous, maybe not towards him at the current moment, but she was powerful and he did not have any idea just how powerful she actually was. It terrified him but with him she was always courteous, graceful and like any elven lady that Legolas had been growing up with in the palace of Mirkwood. Maybe she was waiting for a moment to attack, maybe she was only playing with his mind until she got what she wanted. What she wanted was her freedom.

\- Yes I did… but he did not fall for it. Ylenia stated and smirked briefly which made it somewhat difficult for the elf prince to interpret whether she was considering this as a mere game which she knew that she would win, eventually. But then again, maybe she had all the rights in the world to treat it as a game if that kept her from losing her mind in that small cell.  
\- I would have… I am quite sure of that. Legolas mumbled. He knew that his kindness was his strength as well as his weakness. He did not want to be like his father but then again in the world that was filling with the evil that was constantly pouring from the East, only the strong and the cruel survived as all what was beautiful got destroyed and eventually forgotten.  
\- I would not play a trick like that on you. Ylenia said and sat on the bed. She leaned her face onto her palms and sighed. Legolas moved to sit next to her and commented with a soft tone  
\- Why? The door is open… you could just-  
\- Legolas… You would get into such trouble. I am not going to escape on your watch. Ylenia stated firmly and laughed a little although her laughter had an undertone of sorrow in it.

\- Why? the elf prince asked.  
\- Because… you got me a bed, you brought me food, candles. she said and pointed at everything that she had while she had lost everything. She had more than nothing only because of Legolas.  
\- I could ask you the same thing; why? she added and placed her hand on Legolas’ hand.  
\- Because you saved my life. he answered. He had a feeling that her feelings for him were getting deeper and maybe she had fallen in love with him. In any other situation the elf prince would have been very happy about it but now that she was supposed to marry his own father, it was the worst that could have happened. He knew that he had said that he did not care if there was a conflict between him and his father, but now that he had had more time to think about it and even Thranduil had reminded him about the true state of things, he now knew that it was impossible.

\- Come on… You saved me from the snowstorm! Ylenia exclaimed and squeezed his hand gently. Legolas however froze still and tensed his muscles but she was too distracted by her own hopeful mind at the time so she did not notice it. Ylenia was hoping that Legolas would save her again somehow, maybe by marrying her like he had said earlier. It was a foolish dream but that was the only dream she could afford now. Yes, life with Legolas would surely be full of adventure, safety and even happiness.  
\- Hardly the same thing. If I had respected your wishes you wouldn’t have gotten into that storm in the first place. Legolas said, pulled his hand away and stood up. Ylenia gasped for air as she lost the warmth of his hand but instead of bursting into tears she smiled and said  
\- Really… Please… don’t blame-  
\- It will be my honor to keep you safe from now on. I have failed you once already, I am not intending to fail twice. Legolas stated and bowed deeply. Ylenia knew that he had to go soon and that bow was also a goodbye, for now at least.

\- You’ll get into trouble. she said playfully and chuckled a little.  
\- I am the prince of this realm, I can’t get into that big trouble. Legolas answered with an equally playful tone which she interpreted in a wrong way and it added to her false sense of hope. In any other situation she would have been able to read the elf prince and to notice the hesitation, the tensing up but not now. Now the mind of the great witch was clouded and she was holding onto any hope that she could see.  
\- Don’t be so sure. she commented as Legolas left the cell. He did not push the door completely closed but a guard noticed it and hurried to lock the door. Ylenia smiled at the guard briefly and then sank deep into her thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to MilleLacs as a thank you for your comment!
> 
> I hope you liked this :)


	3. Always in the shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is quite melancholic :D Lot's of mixes feelings and so on.
> 
> Ylenia is still in the dungeon.

The prince continued visiting Ylenia almost daily and slowly he became the only person she trusted. Sure she had trusted him the entire time she had been captured but it had been merely a sum of the situation, nothing too deep or real, but now as the time passed, she started to trust him for real. The king sometimes came down in the dungeons as well but she was always very defiant and their conversations turned into heated battles of words and insults. That annoyed the king greatly and he was somewhat jealous of his son.  
  
Thranduil was also mesmerized of Ylenia’s beauty and her character lured him greatly although it was something that he did not admit to anyone, not even to himself, but he was lured. He was trying to be charming and he always selected his wardrobe carefully when he knew that he was going to visit the dungeons. The Elf King wanted to capture the mind of his prisoner just like she had captured his but he also wanted to show her that he was strong and powerful. The king was not in love with Ylenia, no, not even close but it was a desperate attraction, knowing that she had feeling for his own son.  
  
Thranduil sometimes hoped that he had not locked Ylenia away because he was brutally aware of him proving all the rumors to be true when he was acting this way. However, he did not want to show any weakness. Ylenia had embarrassed and insulted him when she had runaway and escaped the marriage. She had brought shame upon her own family but also on the Elf King who had arranged the wedding ceremony and invited the guests from the other elven realm already.  
  
What Ylenia did not know was that Thranduil wouldn’t have treated the marriage as a business deal. No, he had promised himself that he would learn to love her and be the best husband possible. He would have respected Ylenia and provided her a happy future and the truth was that he had been quite excited to meet the woman he had heard so much about and knew to be a strong person with a good heart and a wise head on her young shoulders. Then he had received a message stating that his bride to be had escaped and she was now an outcast with a price on her head. This had understandably made the Elf King furious and deeply disappointed and therefore he had cut the relations with the Northern Realm completely.  
  
Now Ylenia was in Mirkwood, befriended with Legolas and it looked like she had affections towards his son, which made Thranduil jealous and bitter. It also hurt him to see Legolas struggling between his loyalty for the crown and his own feelings that were on the edge of being something else than friendship altogether. Thranduil knew that if Legolas fell in love with Ylenia, his son would not recover and the king would not have any other choice than to let him court her, even marry her perhaps because denying this meant breaking his sons heart and risking him to fall into the shadows of grief.  
  
Ylenia had also very mixed feelings about the king. On the other hand he sometimes tried to be friendly and distantly polite, he had offered to end her imprisonment once or twice but she had refused his offer because she was sure that there were some hidden requirements for her as a payment for her freedom. She did not want to take anything from Thranduil, no kind words or kind deeds, no favors or compliments because surely they were just a way for the Elf King to capture her into a different kind of prison.  
  
But then again, Thranduil was very charming. He was always looking at his best, he talked with such eloquent way that made Ylenia’s guards melt a little. She sometimes amused herself with the thought of giving in and accepting the future, that life that she should have been living for almost 300 years already. Ylenia sometimes read Thranduil and the amount of loneliness that he hid behind his cruel and selfish mask was almost breaking her heart, making her feel sorry for him and she started to regret her own foolish actions. Maybe she could have melted the frozen heart of the beautiful Elf King, but now the situation had slipped beyond any point of return, besides, the witch’s heart was in the hands of the elf prince now.  
  
Legolas however knew that even though he liked Ylenia dearly and his life was a constant struggle between attraction and falling in love with her, he could not let himself fall in love with the enchanting creature that had been captured down in the dungeon for many months now. He saw how his father was getting consumed by his jealousy and he knew also that Thranduil had offered Ylenia her freedom, a possibility to live in the light but the deal would require her to honor the original deal and marry him. Legolas saw that Ylenia was tempted, partially at least but she kept her ground and did not bend or break. This was something that the elf prince admired greatly and deep down he was sad that he was incapable of the same kind of bravery.  
  
These thoughts consumed all three of them as the weeks turned into months. As time passed, Legolas’ visits got shorter and less frequent. Ylenia however ignored this because she wanted to believe otherwise; she chose to believe that the elf prince was just busy with his duties and he still cared for her, loved her perhaps even, but he was just momentarily unable to spend time with her as much as he wanted. Thranduil however had started to visit her more which was quite amusing since his visits always led into verbal fights.  
  
\- What do you want? Ylenia asked one day when the king came to see her. He was again wearing a magnificent long robe and a crown on his head. The crown was made of autumn berries as well as leaves and it made him look absolutely… beautiful. Yes, the Elf King was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. His silver hair was always perfect and his eyes were always focused. He had long dark eyelashes that framed his ice-blue eyes perfectly and his eyebrows were just impressive. He looked ageless and eternal, strong yet graceful and he always glowed eerily in the dim lights. Legolas glowed too of course but a little less.  
  
\- Always so rude. Thranduil scoffed and furrowed his brows. It was impossible for Ylenia to read him because her spirit had started to leave her body due to the long entrapment and the lack of light, fresh air and open space around her.  
\- Didn’t your father teach you better or has your long exile turned you into a savage? Thranduil asked and felt the cold metal bars with his fingers. His rings made a high pitched sound as they hit the metal and the sound echoed in the cell making Ylenia’s ears hurt. She groaned out of frustration and then exclaimed  
\- The only thing that is turning me into a savage is my imprisonment!  
\- You are well aware that being here is all your own doing. the Elf King stated and Ylenia knew that he was partially right, but only partially, the other part was that Thranduil was keeping her in the prison because the price for her freedom was too high and that was completely Thranduil’s fault.  
  
\- And what is that supposed to mean? Ylenia scoffed and sat up on the edge of the bed. Thranduil calmed his mind and began with a surprisingly soft tone  
\- I am still willing to respect the deal I made with your f-  
\- Are you still suggesting that I should marry you? Ylenia scoffed and started to laugh mockingly. Normally she would have been well aware that by being arrogant and offensive towards her keeper she was only making the situation worse for herself but now she was blinded by her own bitterness and the walls of her small, dark cell.  
\- Any other lady would be honored to marry a king. Thranduil stated. He was right, it was a great honor, but it was a honor that Ylenia did not want.  
\- Ha! she exclaimed bitterly. In the beginning she had always asked the guards to tell her what day and time it was but as the days had turned into months, the concept of time had lost its meaning completely. Did it matter if it was night or day, weekend or weekday when she was locked away from the day? No, it did not matter and therefore she stopped asking and forbid the guards as well as Legolas ever telling her that. Now she knew that it was autumn because Thranduil was wearing a crown that was decorated with the autumn colors.  
  
\- But it seems that you’re not a lady but a fool… the king stated with a cold tone that suggested that he did not really care. It was a lie of course because he did care. He cared more than he dared to admit and he was ready to put away the past quarrels if Ylenia accepted his offer and ended her own imprisonment.  
\- I do not wish to waste my life with someone like you! Ylenia exclaimed and stood up. The candles died out all at once which made the Elf King brutally aware that the witch was not kidding, although the witch was not completely aware or in control of her own feelings because they were all mixed with each other making her confused and desperate, partially numb and ready to give up entirely but also angry and bitter.  
\- Would you like to give me your analysis of my character since you seem to know me so well? the king asked with a tone that was nothing but mockery towards her. He did not necessarily want to be cruel and kick her since she was already down on the ground, coughing and whimpering but she always managed to push him into it. Ylenia walked slowly to the door and spoke with a firm, emotionless voice  
  
\- You are arrogant…  
\- Look who’s talking. Thranduil muttered and rolled his eyes.  
\- You treat everybody like they were your property. But I am not a deal! Ylenia exclaimed and turned around and started to walk further away from the Elf King again as she continued  
\- You are selfish and cold, you care of nothing and no one but yourself. You do not love anyone and you probably even hate yourself… I know I would-  
\- You know nothing of love, fool! Thranduil shouted. Ylenia was boiling with rage and she stormed to the door and stood on the other side of the bars as close as she possibly could to the king and stared right into his blue eyes.  
\- I rather be a fool than your wife. she hissed. The Elf King stared into her eyes and she did not back down. No one usually dared to stare at him so openly with such defiance and this was something that made his self restraint to break so he suddenly grabbed her arm pulled her against the bars which made her whimper because he was actually hurting her for the first time ever. He drew out his sword and placed the blade on her throat.  
\- You would not dare. she stated with a very low, deep, threatening voice and held her breath.  
  
\- I have had people killed for lesser reasons. Do not tempt me! he shouted. His eyes were sparking with anger and fury which frightened Ylenia but she was too deep in her own rage to care.  
\- Go ahead, end my misery! Ylenia said with a tone that was lacking emotions completely and again she did not dare to breathe or move at all, she just waited but nothing happened.  
However after holding her breath for a long time Ylenia finally gasped for air which caused her to move slightly against the blade. A small drop of blood appeared on her throat. As soon as Thranduil saw it he let her go and left. He was actually shocked for hurting her but he did his best to mask any signs of regret or apology. She stepped away from the door and put her hand on he cut, which was not deep or wide and screamed  
\- Yeah! Keep walking!  
  
They both knew that they had gone too far this time; she had been told about his wife who had died a long time ago and also about his grief that had followed him through ages without really letting him go. He had loved deeply and lost, but he had loved. That was something that Ylenia had to admire about the Elf King. Thranduil however knew that Ylenia had a point; she was not a deal and she deserved more. Maybe more than he could ever provide her and it scared him. When he fought with her he felt young and connected with the world in some twisted way. It was so rare these days that anyone had the guts to tell him exactly how things were.  
  
When Ylenia was with him the life somehow made sense; there was someone powerful enough to match her strong character but at this point she just wanted to break his mind, make him suffer… or not… well, just a little bit. The whole point was that she did not want to be the one who surrendered. No, Ylenia wanted to be the strong one who made even the most powerful Elf King bend and possibly break too so she could... “Do what?” she asked herself during the last moments of clarity. Yes, it had all gone too far but she did not know how to get back to some previous point in life when the situation had not been this screwed up.  
  
Thranduil had gotten shaken to his core and terrified of his own actions, of his own rage and pride to be more exact when he had cut her throat a little. He knew that the wound was only a scratch but he was shocked about the way he had lost control for that moment. The Elf King knew that the world saw him as a cold and cruel ruler and as a proud man but he was quite tired of being that way. He knew that if he was capable of such strong feelings for her, he would surely feel passionate love towards her as well but it scared him; what if she hated him and there was nothing he could have tone to turn the tables around? Thranduil however decided to let the dust settle and focused his attention to other things.  
  
And again the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. When the winter came Legolas was sent away and for many weeks no one came to visit Ylenia and suddenly it had been a year since she had seen the sun the last time. Her skin was pale and there was no color on her lips either. She was always cold and after crying because of loneliness for many days there was no strength left in her to even cry. She was angry and disappointed with Legolas for deserting her so and boiling with rage when it came to Thranduil.,, or actually not because her rage was only lukewarm anymore since it had been consumed by the absence of her opponent.  
  
Her heart was yearning to find companionship and comfort from Legolas but in the back of her head she knew that she was too dark-hearted for him and it was getting too clear now that she had mistaken his friendliness as something more and for some reason the elf prince had now deserted her, buried her deep into the realm of all things forgotten. Ylenia wished that Legolas would have even come to say goodbye but no, there was only silence.  
  
Thranduil however shared the same darkness but Ylenia was too proud to admit this to anyone. She knew that if she was capable of such great rage for him, she was also most likely capable of deep, passionate love but it frightened her greatly. Could she let herself fall in love with the enemy? Did she even want to continue her life after all this loneliness? Maybe it was just better if she let herself fall into the dark, soft nothingness that lured her every passing moment even more.  
Sure Ylenia had felt rage and anger before, towards orcs for example and she had killed many during her life but that rage was less personal and it lacked the same kind of seed of doubt that her rage for the Elf King had, however she did not know that the Elf King felt the same way. In her mind she had been forgotten, left into the darkness to rot, just like Thranduil had promised her during the first day of her imprisonment. Back then she had had somewhat high hopes about Legolas but those hopes were now gone. Now there was only loneliness and grief, regret and numbed pain left and there was no strength for magic either. The will to live had died a long ago just like the candles that Legolas always replaced with new ones until he went away and no one replaced them anymore.  
  
Another year passed by. Legolas did not come, the king did not either. What she did not know was that the world was at war and it had kept everyone above the ground busy. The food was served by a guard who did not bother even look at her when he visited the cell but she did not eat anymore, she did not sleep either. The witches did not die from hunger or extreme lack of sleep, they just faded away into a state that resembled sleep but sometimes there was no waking up from such state. In that state one could leave the body and move around without being seen or heard, almost like a ghost. She had fallen into that deep, lifeless sleep and wandered around the dungeons as a shadow unable to leave her body behind and step into the light.  
  
Ylenia had liked Legolas and there had clearly been a connection between them. At one point she had fallen in love with him but her feelings had then withered away as the days passed and her life was drained out from her with the lonely entrapment. In the beginning Legolas had held her hand many times and comforted her when she had felt like there was no future. She had let him close and trusted him but then he had just left and she had been forgotten. Ylenia had no idea of what was going on in the world but she did not really care anymore. She did not know how long it had been or what season it was. In this current world she did not matter, her existence was meaningless, worthless, pointless. The rage that she had been holding onto had left her as well. Now there was nothing left.  
  
One day the Elf King came down to bring the news; the One Ring had been destroyed and the dark lord Sauron had been defeated. He was rather eager to bring these news and he had even decided to invite Ylenia to a party that he was going to host. He had been watching the world being in the brink of destruction but the world had prevailed. It gave him hope. Thranduil had been eating dinner when he had suddenly remembered that there was someone down in the dungeon, in the stony cell that surely devoured all the hope. He got up and walked in a seemingly calm manner to the part of the palace that he had not visited for a long time.  
  
When Thranduil arrived to her cell he was greeted with silence. He was surprised because Ylenia always greeted him with masked insults, although lately the insults had been less personal. She had almost become… tolerable… her company, almost enjoyable. But he had not visited her for a long time because his mind had been focused in the matters of the realm. With so much death in the world he had closed his eyes from everything else.  
  
Anxiousness filled his mind instantly when he saw Ylenia on her bed laying still. A bit too still. He stormed into the cell, not caring if it was a trap or not. When he touched her hand it was cold and lifeless. He called for the healers and lifted her off the bed and carried her out from the cell into the house of healing. When she was exposed to the sunlight it became more apparent just how pale she was. Seeing the great witch like this filled the mind of the Elf King with desperation and regret. Had he caused her death? Was this how it ended?  
  
A couple of days passed and there was no change in her state. Ylenia looked like she was only in a very deep sleep but there was something very eerie about her which made the Elf King afraid that she would not wake up anymore. But even though her body was unconscious and seemingly lifeless, she could hear everything what was happening around her almost dead form. However, soon she realized that she was actually standing in the corner of the brightly lit room, looking from outside, like a stranger. Her body felt unfamiliar to her and she felt compelled to get further away from it. Her world was covered in gray mist, there were shadows everywhere. Then Ylenia heard Legolas’ voice echoing all around her. like a distant memory from the past that had returned to haunt her and to trap her into the body that meant so little anymore. it was just a shell that was now empty.  
  
\- Where is she? Legolas asked. The Elf King, who looked like had not been sleeping since discovering Ylenia, led the prince into the room where she was laying on the bed. Legolas masked his state of shock very well and all he did was to gasp  
\- Is she-  
\- Nearly, but no. It is very good that you came, Legolas, maybe you can bring her back to life. Thranduil said with a silent voice. He sounded sorrowful and full of regret, maybe even slightly jealous. This was an entirely new side of the mighty king that Ylenia had never seen before.  
\- Me? Why me? Legolas asked immediately. To Ylenia his tone sounded rather cold, considering that he had been her only friend, the one that she had trusted… although it all felt like a dream now, something that had not even really happened.  
\- I believe you and her… Thranduil said. There was a hint of envy in his voice and for that moment he could not look at either one of them; Ylenia or his son.  
\- No father, you have misunderstood. Legolas exclaimed. Hearing this hurt Ylenia very much although she was beyond pain already.  
  
\- Maybe there was a brief moment when I felt more but then I learned that her hand had been promised to another. he explained with a calm, yet firm tone as he kept staring at her pale form.  
\- My feelings for her are warm, yes, but merely in a friendly way. Legolas added. Ylenia listened carefully to the words of the elf prince hidden in the shadows. In a way she had known that he had no feelings for her, nothing more than responsibility and friendship, but still hearing him saying that aloud stung like a freezing rain in November when the water was half-frozen as it landed on someone’s skin. Legolas shifted his eyes away from her and continued  
\- One reason why I stopped seeing her was that I noticed her feelings… Ahem, I noticed that they were something more than just friendly in nature. I couldn’t find words so I…  
  
At this point the sounds muffled away. Ylenia felt like her heart had stopped. One single tear escaped from the corner of her eye as she lay on the bed. Thranduil saw the tear and walked to the bed as Legolas left the room. The king took her hand, sat down and closed his eyes. Suddenly he saw himself from outside as well standing in the shadows next to her. Ylenia was surprised that he was able to step into the shadow realm but she was too numb to express it in any way.  
  
\- I must apologize for my son. the Elf King said and looked at Ylenia who sighed as a response.  
\- Yes, I can see you. Thranduil said and walked a little bit closer.  
\- I don’t understand. Ylenia sighed and closed her eyes as she tilted her head.  
\- I can see everything that is going on in this realm. he answered calmly. Ylenia turned away and slowly walked away from the room. The king followed her. The witch walked forward in a way that looked almost like it had happened in slow motion, everything happened in slow motion, the way her dress and her sleeves dance in the breeze, the way her hair moved with her or even her every gasp and sigh. She said  
\- You say you see everything but you stopped looking-  
\- Are you blaming me for this? Thranduil asked with an offended tone. He expected her to say “yes” but  
\- No… I am not as childish as you may think. Ylenia answered and continued walking forward in the mist.  
  
\- Are you blaming my son? the Elf King asked curiously. “No” Ylenia sighed and then continued with a slightly louder tone  
\- There was a time when I cursed you both… For your luck I did not mean it from the bottom of my heart-  
\- You do not hate me then? Thranduil asked. His voice was a mixture of confusion, hope and surprise.  
\- What is the point of holding onto hate when the only thing that follows it is death? she whispered. They kept walking through the mist forward, slowly and all the sounds kept echoing all around. Suddenly Ylenia stopped and turned to stare out from a window into a bright garden that was bathing in a warm sunlight.  
\- I am fading away. she stated after a long silence. She took a couple of steps more and sighed.  
\- Maybe that’s… for the best. she continued and stopped at door that led into the sunny garden. The sun was shining, it was summer, midday, but the world she was trapped into, there was always twilight and freezing mist that surrounded everything.  
  
\- I’ve never been this far away. Even when I was down in the dungeon, fading, I watched from the shadows… Always from the shadows… Ylenia spoke and looked at the sunny yard. She felt that it was time for her to let go although letting go scared her so much. There were big stories about the glorious afterlife but what if there was nothing? What if death was only a darker version of the shadow realm with no opportunity to return to the land of the living? Now she still had a choice, if she only managed to find a way back.  
\- If I’ll step into the light… I will be gone. Ylenia said. Her voice was weak and almost completely silent. It echoed eerily in the mist. Thranduil kept silent and listened to her. He had never been in a place like that before and it was draining his life force.  
\- Why did we always fight so much? she asked suddenly. Ylenia had had plenty of time to think about many things and now all the pride and reasons felt so ridiculous and unnecessary.  
\- You never gave me a chance. the Elf King answered but his tone was almost neutral. Deep down he was sad about it but he did not want her to know it, not yet since he did not know what her next move was going to be. Was Ylenia going to leave him and step into the light? Was she going to fight for her life?  
  
\- You never gave a reason to. All you wanted was to own me… You never really wanted a chance. Ylenia stated with an equally neutral tone.  
\- I did… but I was too proud to admit it. Thranduil sighed and tried to reach her but she was always a bit too far away from him.  
\- Being too proud is something we have in common. Ylenia stated and there was regret in her voice. They stared at the sunny garden for a moment as the warm breeze kept playing with the hem of her dress and got mixed with the freezing mist. The sunlight was so inviting yet also very terrifying. So final.  
\- I can’t stay here with you. he stated after a long silence.  
\- I know… you do not belong here. Ylenia answered and smiled briefly.  
\- You do not either. Come with me. the elf whispered. When she turned her head, he was gone.  
  
Ylenia closed her eyes and when she opened her eyes again, it was evening and she was back in the room, standing in the corner watching herself from outside. The room was empty and quiet. Suddenly there was a sound of footsteps echoing in the corridor. The door opened and the king entered the room. He sat down in a chair that was next to the bed. The garden outside was turning yellow now. Thranduil looked sad. He tried to read but clearly his mind was somewhere else. He took Ylenia’s hand again and closed his eyes. This time he did not appear as a shadowy figure.  
  
\- I know you’re here. he said softly.  
\- Of course I’m here. I am always here, in the shadows… always in the shadows. Ylenia answered standing behind him, not two meters away.  
\- You were gone for whole summer. Thranduil spoke and brushed her knuckles softly. Ylenia sighed and tried to remember the summer passing by. She did not have any memory of that. She walked to the other side of the bed to face the elf who looked tired, sad and desperate even with his eyes closed.  
\- You look terrible. Ylenia stated with a sad, slightly puzzled tone. Suddenly the Elf King opened his eyes and stared straight into hers. For outsiders it would have seemed that he was staring out from the window and having a conversation with an empty room. Well, not entirely empty; the only person there was with him was Ylenia but she was unconscious and no one else saw her spirit that lingered in the halls.  
  
\- You look… like you have given up. he stated and his voice sounded disappointed but not angry. Ylenia’s face was colorless and pale, her lips were gray and her eyes weren’t as bright as they had been, even her memory of herself was fading away and getting affected by the shadow realm.  
\- I’m just so cold. I am tired of the shadows, always in the shadows… looking at people living their lives like I had never even existed. Ylenia said. She looked heartbroken but this time there were no tears rolling on her cheek although she looked like she could have started to cry any moment now, or maybe not. Maybe crying was one luxury that she didn’t have anymore.  
\- If you think that your absence has not touched anyone, you are profoundly mistaken. Thranduil stated with a firm yet soft tone.  
  
\- I want to step into the light. The darkness, loneliness, coldness… the lack of life and strength… It is too much to take. Ylenia explained and the words that she used to describe her current world stabbed the elf in front of her, almost hurting him physically. Thranduil shook every time when she spoke because the weakness of her voice just chilled his core. Thranduil looked at her memory, the shadowy form that only he could see and he stated with a firm tone  
-No don’t step into the li-  
\- I can’t feel my hands… Ylenia whispered and touched her hand with her other hand.  
\- …or my heartbeat. she continued and placed her right hand over her heart.  
\- There is nothing for me here. Why won’t you let me go? she whimpered.  
\- You are keeping me here… she repeated with a tone that it sounded like she was accusing him of a crime. It was the truth, Thranduil was the one who was holding onto her memory so tightly that she was unable to leave the shadow realm and dissolve into the light. Even if she would have wished to return into the land of the living, she wouldn’t have known how because she was too far already.  
  
\- Let me go. Ylenia pleaded although it sounded more like a desperate cry. Thranduil shook his head defiantly and squeezed her hand. She sighed and flexed her fingers as she felt her fingers tingle. He knew she had felt it, he had a feeling that this was the way to pull her out from the shadow realm. Then suddenly he stood up and bent himself over her. He leaned lower and placed his hand on her cheek. His fingers traced softly down from her forehead to her lips.  
\- What are you doing? Ylenia asked and touched her lips as she felt them tingling. She watched him pressing his lips on hers softly.  
\- What do you think you’re doing! she shouted. She felt her strength returning like a tidal wave and with her yell she cleared all the freezing mist from her and for the first time, for a long time she felt like she was able to breathe freely. Thranduil chuckled and smirked against her lips as he teased  
\- I am taking advantage of your state. I can do what I please with you-  
\- Don’t you dare! Ylenia shouted once more. This time her voice was even stronger than it had been before.  
  
\- Feel free to wake up and stop me. the Elf King smirked and kissed her again. Ylenia closed her eyes and when she opened them she saw his face staring at her from rather close distance. Her first reaction was to try to slap him but he managed to stop her hand before it was even close to his face. Thranduil smiled and kept examining her expressions as she got used to being back in her own body again. Ylenia stared at the elf with a confused look on her face because everything that happened in the shadow realm felt now like a distant dream that was slipping away from her memory very quickly. The elf smiled a little wider and said  
\- Welcome back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to m_ryuu as a thank you for your comment,  
> I hope you liked this... although it was a bit dark :D


	4. Back to life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ylenia wakes up but can Thranduil be trusted?

Ylenia looked around and blinked her eyes a couple of times. Thranduil kept still smiling at her but she couldn’t return to the smile because she was not sure anymore how she had gotten out from the cell. The last solid memory she had was Thranduil cutting her throat a little as the outcome of a heated verbal fight. The smile left Thranduil’s face and it was replaced with a confused expression. He returned to stand straight next to the bed and Ylenia sat up.

Every muscle in her body was aching but it was nothing compared with the general state of confusion and suddenly she missed her tiny cell. It didn’t make any sense but at least the cell she knew, she knew what her position and status were when she was there but now she suddenly wasn’t and she had no memory of how she had gotten into this place and more importantly, why Thranduil had been smiling at her, so close, possibly kissing her.

Ylenia held onto the last memory that she had and suddenly she got into a slight state of panic. She tried to look for a route for an escape or a weapon to defend herself with but she couldn’t see anything. The room was so bright and her eyes were not completely adjusted to the new surroundings. Thranduil noticed that her breathing changed and he could hear her heartbeat getting faster as her eyes scanned the room frantically. The Elf King sat on the edge of the bed and put his hand on her cheek. He guided her to look at him and she could not help drowning into his blue eyes.  
\- You are in the house of healing. he said and kept staring into her eyes in a very intense and engaging way.  
\- You are safe, nothing is threatening you. he added and then continued speaking in elvish which calmed her down a little.  
\- Breathe, slowly. In… he said and Ylenia inhaled deeply.  
\- …and out. the Elf King said and Ylenia exhaled slowly. He kept repeating “in… and out” and Ylenia kept following his instructions until her breathing got calmer again and her heartbeat slowed down. 

Thranduil kept brushing her cheek with his thumb very lightly and the fear left her eyes as the seconds turned into a few minutes. The Elf King kept staring into her eyes, reading her although Ylenia kept her thoughts hidden from him. He moved his hand on her neck and traced the cool skin with his fingertips. Ylenia closed her eyes for a moment and focused her scattered mind on the warm touch of his hand. He encouraged his mind and leaned closer but just as he was about to kiss her, she leaned back and opened her eyes.

Thranduil opened his immediately as he realized that Ylenia did not want him to kiss her. He felt a little disappointed and he sighed out of frustration. He thought that they had finally made progress but she was rejecting him again. He watched Ylenia getting out from the bed, or trying at least. She tried to stand up but it felt like there was no strength in her body and she was getting very frustrated. Her breathing changed into sharp gasps again as she tried to get herself on her feet. Thranduil stood up and walked on the other side of the bed. 

\- Where do you think you’re going? he asked with a voice that was soft and surprisingly caring. He even offered his hand to her but his offer was turned down with an angry glare. Ylenia whimpered and managed to push herself up on her feet but as soon as she took the first step, her feet gave in and she felt herself falling until suddenly the falling stopped and she felt the Elf Kings strong arms around her. She rested her head against the king’s solid chest and burst into tears. Thranduil lowered her slowly on the floor and knelt in front of her. He pulled her into his arms and sheltered her with his warmth and presence. Ylenia cried for a moment but as the tears kept pouring out from her eyes, she felt her strength returning a little.

Thranduil held her closer and longer than was necessary but Ylenia could not find it in herself to get upset for this sudden invasion of her personal space, which she would have been enjoying on the floor if he had not caught her. Now she was there in his arms and she was not sure if he was the enemy or the friend. Had the predator become tamed or had she proved herself to him; that she was a predator, just like he was.

Ylenia and Thranduil were beautiful in a very cold way, neither of them answered to anyone and they both knew things that most did not even dream about. On top of that both of them were masters of deception and trickery, at least neither of them ever showed all of their cards at once and both of them wanted to keep always an escape route open, just in case. Reading ones expressions, weaknesses and strengths was also easy for both of them as well as keeping emotional distance to the people that surrounded them. They were strong and stubborn, proud but also true to the things that were greatly important or otherwise close to their hearts. However being so similar made it difficult to trust or read one another.

There were major differences of course; Thranduil was much calmer than Ylenia, who was sometimes restless and took actions without planning too much ahead which got her into trouble occasionally. Thranduil however thought his actions through and took his time to plan but by doing so he sometimes missed opportunities to experience great things. This bothered him time to time but he ignored it because as a fairly old elf he was not so keen on taking risks. He had seen kingdoms crumbling down because the ruler gambled with things of great importance.

One of the big differences was the way the Elf King used his physique to gain power over the others by getting close and towering over the ones he wanted to intimidate. Ylenia on the other hand always kept her distance because being close to someone made her feel threatened, unless, of course, she trusted the person. She however gained control over people by tricking them to trust her and sneaking into their minds. When someone met Ylenia for the first time, she easily appeared as a trustworthy friend but it was just her presence that was luring the persons she met off the path into the stranger lands where she ruled. Thranduil on the other hand did not care if people trusted him or not unless he gained something from it.

The biggest difference however was that the Elf King had loved and the Witch had not. Thranduil knew how much one could love another and what it was like to belong and give oneself to someone. He also knew what kind of tragedy it was to lose that someone and be abandoned into the darkness alone. Ylenia had never been in love, she had never needed anyone and she did not know the devastation that followed if the life that had been shared with someone special ended, especially if it ended all of a sudden. Ylenia never let anyone close and she always left when she started to get attached to people. The north wind was always calling her, telling her stories about great adventures that were waiting for her just beyond the far horizon.

Thranduil closed his eyes and thanked Valar that it was now over. He had been unable to sleep well for the entire summer because he had been so worried about the woman who was now holding onto the collar of his robe like it was her last connection to the real world. The elf buried his face into her hair and breathed in her scent. He blew warm air on the sensitive skin of her neck and accidentally brushed her ear with his lips. This woke up Ylenia from her thoughts and she realized that she was in the arms of the man who had locked her up into the dungeon and threatened her with a sword, but for some reason she did not feel threatened anymore, not so much at least.

\- What happened? she asked suddenly. Thranduil kept brushing her hair slowly and sighed “shhh” silently. His tone was soft and comforting but Ylenia knew these mind tricks and she did not know if she could trust him that easily. What if there was a hidden agenda behind his kindness? What if it was a deception?  
\- No, I need to know. Ylenia said immediately and broke herself free from the embrace. She pulled herself up with the help of the bed and then automatically felt her neck. The scratch was completely healed of course but there was a small scar as a reminder from her last meeting with the Elf King.  
\- It has been a long time. Thranduil said and extended his hand to Ylenia, who looked very puzzled again. She however did not offer her help to the king who was still on his knees on the floor. The elf of course was able to get up on his own effortlessly, but now that she had refused helping him, he knew that she was not ready to trust him entirely, which of course was a smart move because he did not trust her completely either. 

Thranduil could feel that Ylenia was weak. Her aura was broken and it made her feel vulnerable. She was alive, connected to her own body but she was fragile which meant that if someone wanted to hurt or abuse her now, it wouldn’t even be a difficult task. Therefore it was quite understandable that Ylenia wanted to keep her distance. However being exposed like that made her dangerous because she most likely felt that she had nothing to lose so whatever attack or defense she had to muster, she would surely use all her remaining strength to it and choose death over defeat.

\- Come, dine with me. the king suggested as soon as he had gotten up and straightened his silver robe. Ylenia did not answer. She turned away from the king and walked to the window, stared into the garden and felt the smooth wooden windowpane with her fingertips. It really was autumn and she had to admit that she had lost quite a lot of time although it was impossible to know how much she had lost. When Ylenia was not looking, the king made quickly sure that he was looking at his best.  
\- You must be hungry. he said and walked to the window, to stand next to her. He monitored her although from that position he could only see half of her face. Ylenia kept staring at the garden and tracing the graceful engravings on the surface of the wood with her fingers. Her home palace was so different from the elven palace and she could not help admiring the great craftsmanship of the elves.  
\- The windowpane will there tomorrow as well. Thranduil chuckled. “Huh?” Ylenia asked and turned her head to see the kings face as he spoke to her.  
\- Dinner. he stated and put his hand under her chin. He held her like she was a rare, precious flower that would get damaged if he made any sudden moves.  
\- You are hungry, aren’t you? he asked.  
\- Will you tell me what happened? Ylenia asked instead of answering. Thranduil turned to face her properly and nodded, although the nod looked more like a bow.  
\- Then I’ll accept your invitation. she said and smiled a little. 

The sun was setting and it shone directly into the room, although there were clouds sailing across the sky, suddenly the sun appeared behind a cloud that had been blocking the sunlight momentarily and as the Elf King raised his head again, the light shone directly into Thranduil’s eyes and made them sparkle. Ylenia kept staring into them and for the first time she was mesmerized and completely on their mercy.

His eyes were bright like the precious gemstones that her people held dear and they reminded her of home. They were framed with long, dark eyelashes that made his eyes look even more expressive, mysterious and emotional. Ylenia saw wisdom and strong will to do right by his people. She saw courage and strength, grief but not desperation. There was something else as well, hope maybe. His eyes carried many feelings and for the first time Ylenia got a glimpse of his the man behind the crown and the mask that the elf always wore, in public at least, although she believed that the king never dared to let himself to be without his role and that surely weighed on his shoulders. But what was the king like without that mask? Did he remember it anymore himself?

\- Good. Thranduil said and just as he was about to press a soft kiss on Ylenia’s forehead, she stepped away and bowed deeply as a sign of leaving.  
Ylenia’s head was spinning. “What am I doing?” she asked herself half aloud as she walked forward through the endless corridors. She stopped to ask for directions for a couple of times and hoped that she would not bump into Legolas because that would have been awkward. Ylenia was escorted to a guest room and a maid prepared a bath for her. She got undressed and stepped into the bathtub after the maid had left the room. She leaned backwards and closed her eyes for a moment. When she did let her eyes fall shut, she fell asleep and had a very vivid dream about herself talking in the misty twilight.

“Why did we always fight so much?”

She heard her own voice echoing in the dream that was filled with freezing mist and there was only a little light, which made the surrounding room look like it had been partially fading away and everything that existed there was made of shadows and memories. For a moment she thought that she was there alone, but then she realized that there was someone with her; someone strong and full of life, someone who did not belong there. It was the Elf King. Indeed, Thranduil was there with her and he answered

“You never gave me a chance.”

The conversation felt real, very dream-like but still real. Had it happened? The mist that swallowed everything made it harder to breathe freely because every time she filled her lungs with air, she felt a little bit colder, like she had been freezing from the inside. Then she heard her own voice again  


“You never gave a reason to. All you wanted was to own me… You never really wanted a chance.”

Although her voice sounded strange to her, too distant and too weak, only a whisper in the darkness, a sigh that was barely audible. In the dream she felt her hand tingle and then her lips, suddenly she saw the king bending over her and pressing his lips on hers.

“I did… but I was too proud to admit it.”

Ylenia opened her eyes. The room was getting darker and there was someone knocking on her door. Ylenia did not answer. She groaned and let herself slide completely into the bathtub until she was entirely submerged. The water had cooled already but she did not want to get out from the water just yet. Suddenly she saw the bathroom door opening and an elf maid rushed in. She was talking but the water muffled her words completely, besides she was talking in elvish. She was carrying a candle which lit the room with gentle, yellow light.

The maid was carrying a silky dressing robe and then she stopped to stand by the bathtub, folded her arms and for a moment she looked very upset. She gestured that Ylenia should get out from the bath by opening the robe and hanging it from the shoulders, keeping it in front of her face to prevent herself to see Ylenia getting up from the bathtub. Ylenia emptied her lungs from hair and for a moment she could not see anything but bubbles, then she sat up and wiped the water off her eyes. The maid spoke in elvish and even though Ylenia did not understand elvish, only a couple of words here and there, she got the message loud and clear; she was late and the king was waiting.

Ylenia got dressed with the help of the maid who kept sighing when she tried to get Ylenia’s hair dry. That was not possible so she just braided it instead. She kept cursing in elvish as she braided white autumn flowers into Ylenia’s hair because her hair was different from the hair of the elves; it curled up and it was not as smooth and perfect as the elven hair were. There was especially one lock of hair on the left side of Ylenia’s face that was not going to settle down so Ylenia sighed “just… leave it” and the maid removed her fingers from her hair immediately, bowed and left the room.

Ylenia waved her hand in front of her face and stared her reflection in the mirror. She looked pale and even though she tried many times, she was unable to decorate her eyes with the colors or conjure a healthy blush on her cheeks. She flexed her fingers a couple of times, like it would have helped, chuckled bitterly and then tried one last time. She closed her eyes and emptied her mind, relaxed her breathing and opened her eyes again. Then she put her hand in front of her face, very close and waved it slowly from right to left. She saw the colors appearing but she had to lean towards the mirror to be able to see them.

However, there was a loud knock on the door and she got distracted. The colors were gone in one blink of an eye. Ylenia sighed and stood up. She looked herself once in the mirror and then walked out from the room. A guard escorted her into a dining room where Thranduil was already waiting. He was wearing a black tunic that was shimmering in the soft candle light. He turned around and bowed when Ylenia entered the room. It was not a big room and the dining table was not a big table, but maybe it was good.

Ylenia bowed a little as well and walked the Elf King who helped her to sit down by lifting the heavy chair closer to the table when Ylenia was sitting down. When she was sitting comfortably the king let go the back of the chair, but when he did that he accidentally touched her upper arms and slid his fingers gently on her shoulders and then walked to his own chair. The guard helped him to sit and then Thranduil motioned the servant to bring them some wine. Thranduil was sitting in the end of the table and Ylenia was sitting on his right side, uncommonly close so the atmosphere was very casual, or that was how the king had intended it to be; a private, relaxed dinner. Ylenia however was feeling quite nervous because this was the first time she was having a dinner with the Elf King and it had been ages since she had had such fine dinner in such beautiful setting with anyone.

Ylenia’s eyes kept wandering around the room and she was clearly trying to avoid looking straight into the eyes of the elf. The dining room was quite dimly lit which made his eyes look dark and mysterious, almost dangerous but not in a frightening way. For the first time ever Ylenia was feeling attracted to the king but she was not quite ready to admit it yet. The king looked very handsome in his rather casual black tunic and now he was not even wearing a crown. Thranduil kept following Ylenia but he did not want to stare and make her feel uncomfortable. It was easier said than done because she was looking very beautiful in that soft candle light although, she did look very pale and fragile still, which worried the king.

\- You look radiant. Thranduil said suddenly. Ylenia was currently staring at the white flowers that were in a beautiful vase, in the middle of the table. She turned her head immediately when she heard that the elf was speaking and smiled at Thranduil a little.  
\- I… wouldn’t call myself radiant. she commented and dropped her head. Ylenia was quite aware of the state if her disgrace and she knew that of her parents knew that she was presenting herself to the Elf King like this, it would have been considered as a scandal in the Northern Realm. Thranduil looked at her and tilted his head a little. He did not understand how she saw herself but in his eyes she was the fairest lady in the entire palace. He had to protest  
\- But, my lady-  
\- If this is radiant, I would hate to see myself pale and… powerless. she muttered with a sarcastic tone.  
\- My lady-  
Thranduil began but he was interrupted when the servants started to carry in the different plates of food. Thranduil raised his hand and gestured them to bring the plates to the table. Ylenia stared with disbelief at the delicious looking foods as they were brought to the table one by one. Thranduil clearly knew how to pamper his guests although even a piece of bread, served on a gorgeous plate with a crystal goblet of water looked like a feast compared to the cabbage soup that Ylenia had gotten used to eat from a wooden plate.

When the servants had brought the plates to the table Thranduil gestured them to leave the room. He even told the guard to leave, which made Ylenia a bit uncomfortable. She tried to hide her nervousness but it was quite clear anyway. “May I?” Thranduil asked and gestured Ylenia to give her plate to him. She nodded and handed the plate to the elf who collected a wide sample selection of everything for her. Then he handed the plate back to her and filled her glass with wine because Ylenia had emptied the half-glass that the servant had poured her earlier. Then the king filled his plate as well as his glass. Suddenly he smiled to himself and chuckled  
\- This is how I used to dine with my wife.

It was obvious that it was a dear memory for him and it made Ylenia smile. They ate and after a moment the wine kicked in which caused them both to chuckle and talk in a more relaxed way. Ylenia shared some stories from her childhood and they both started to laugh when she told how she had tried to steal a cookie from the kitchen. She told how she had kept the cookie behind her back and showed only one hand at the time when the governess had caught her red handed. Then the governess had asked her to show both of her hands at the same time so she had slammed the cookie between her legs and showed the hands at the same time.  
\- But then the governess told me to jump and spread my legs! Ylenia exclaimed and covered her mouth with her hand as she kept laughing at herself.  
\- What did you do? Thranduil asked and laughed.  
\- Well, I had no other choice than to jump and the cookie stayed glued with the filling on my thigh until it suddenly fell on the floor! Ylenia explained and laughed with tears in her eyes. Their laughter echoed in the dining room for a long time until they both were gasping for air. Thranduil filled their glasses again and smiled at Ylenia who smiled back at him until her smile faded away.

\- What is it? the Elf King asked. Ylenia was silent for a moment and then answered with a fragile tone  
\- I miss my family. I haven’t seen them for… she said and paused.  
\- 300 hundred years. she added after summing the years that she had spent in different places together. Thranduil shifted his gaze from her to the candles that were flickering on the table, soon burning out because it was very late already.  
\- It is a long time. he commented and took a sip from his glass.  
\- Besides, you know that I am weak. I cannot even make myself look presentable. she stated and sighed. Thranduil put his hand on hers as it was on the table and squeezed it gently, just like Legolas had squeezed it many times. Ylenia’s hand was still cold and the king had no other choice but to confess to himself that she looked pale. This all terrified him more than he wanted to admit.

\- Maybe… I will find my strength up north. Yes… I must return home. Ylenia said and emptied her glass. Her head had been pleasantly clouded from the wine but thinking about her family and her home realm had a sobering effect on her and she felt weak again. Thranduil had feared that she would say those words “return home” but he knew that she was probably right and knew in her bones what she had to do to regain her powers.

The rest of the dinner was quite silent and mood shifted back on the melancholy side again. Neither of them mentioned the Northern Realm but the atmosphere was ruined for the evening, which was a great shame. After the dinner Thranduil kissed Ylenia’s hand softly and watched the guard escorting her back into the guest room and then he retired to his own chamber, took a long bath and then went to bed. Neither of them could sleep because both of them kept thinking about the evening and what would happen when Ylenia returned home. Would she return to Mirkwood or would she stay in the north with her family?

After a few weeks of gathering her strength Ylenia took a horse and rode home. She had been having some brief conversations with Thranduil and those conversations always seemed to be interrupted too soon and it felt that her life was finally heading in the right direction. The more she got to know the Elf King beneath the cold surface the less cruel and inconsiderate he seemed. She noticed the similarities and sometimes chuckled to herself just how similar he was in a way, in good and bad.

Thranduil noticed the same; Ylenia was no fool and the more he spent time with her the more he enjoyed her company. She was not an easy person to get along with and she had edges, when looked from the elven perspective at least, and she did not let anyone close easily… but she was not pushing him away anymore and when he got to know her more he noticed that she had the most delightful personality. Of course sometimes there were some misunderstandings and then either of them got offended but now they at least said “sorry”. 

However, even though Ylenia was getting better she felt weak which bothered her immensely. She had to return to north to regain her powers and to find her strength again. She had been away for such a long time and she missed her family although she had always felt kind of outsider, mostly because her upbringing had been taken care of by a governess from Rivendell. Why an elf, you might ask, well… her father had thought that it was easier for her daughter to fit in the elven society when she had been taught by one.

It was an early morning when Ylenia was leaving Mirkwood. Thranduil had come to say his farewells to her as well, about Legolas she did not know where he was because she had not seen him during the entire time that she had been awake. Thranduil had explained Ylenia what had happened in the shadow realm and how he had guided her out from it. Hearing the king telling her this strengthened her trust for him. It felt like a bond that was not limited by either this life or death and it calmed her mind a little.

Now Ylenia was leaving and there was a small voice telling her not to ride into the north because there was nothing for her anymore. She had actually had a disturbing nightmare where she was laying in a glass casket by a roaring sea and she was back in the shadow realm, but this was something that she did not want to tell Thranduil because he looked quite devastated for her departure anyway. There was no reason to shadow his mind with such ridiculous and stupid nightmares. “He might even think that the dream was a sign” she thought as she waved at the king as a goodbye. Then she turned her head, rode out from the palace courtyard and headed north.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Elwenia as a thank you for your support <3


	5. The brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ylenia travels home and she will be greeted with a surprise.

Ylenia rode in the autumn forest and stopped at her old cottage. It was getting late and she was terribly tired from riding, although she had ridden only for a day. When she was in full strength she was able to travel for days without need to even stop for food or get some sleep, only limitation then was the strength of her companions as well as her horse but the horses of the Northern Realm were tougher breed and they could go on almost as long as their masters.

But now Ylenia was weak, during the couple of weeks that she had been awake she had noticed that she got exhausted, completely drained after one day. She hated to be that weak and she had tried to hide it from Thranduil who worried for her well-being, that was obvious but she did not want to be that person who needed to be rescued. Ylenia had never been that person and now she had been rescued twice although into both situations she had gotten because of the elves. First she had gotten into the snowstorm because of Legolas, although she wouldn’t have died and she would have woken up with the forest when the summer came, and this second time… Well, Thranduil brought her back from the shadow realm where she got because the Elf King had locked her away in the darkness. This made her think that maybe she was not meant to be in the company of the elves, maybe her own people was her home after all, although she had always felt like an outsider.

Ylenia got off her horse and jumped to the ground. She had been riding the entire day and now she had problems even with standing up. She supported herself on a tree and breathed in the scent of the forest. It was a scent that she had missed although it was now a little bit different; the forest was not dying anymore and there were no traces of fear in the air. She looked around and listened to the silence, it was a familiar silence and it put her mind at ease. Yes, the dream had shocked Ylenia and she had a bad feeling that she wanted to ignore but it kept haunting her anyway.

\- Hello trees, my old friends. she said with a weak voice and bowed slowly. After saluting the forest she walked with shaky feet to the cottage that was dark and abandoned. She opened the door and stepped in. The air inside was cold and humid, just like she remembered and she put her bag on the table. She was traveling light and all she had was just some lembas to keep hunger away during the travel. Ylenia was quite certain that when she reached home, she would be warmly welcomed with a generous feast and all her loved ones around the same table. Ylenia kept thinking how she could tell her father that she had met the Elf King and found out that under his cold surface he wasn’t anything like the horrible rumors had claimed. Ylenia planned how she would tell her parents that the relations between two realms could be reestablished because she was more than happy to return to Mirkwood… although the elves seemed to get her into trouble.

Ylenia knew that she was being ridiculous. She couldn’t possibly blame the elves for getting in trouble and she had been in trouble even before, like the time when she had been captured by the orcs. She had been scared and completely sure that the orcs were going to kill her and most likely then cook her up and eat her as dinner but the thing was that she had never been so lonely and felt so forgotten that she would have faded away. She had always been the master of her own fate until she had been locked up in the cell away from the world by Thranduil and her heart had been broken by Legolas.

What if life in Mirkwood wasn’t for her after all? What if the truce with Thranduil was clouding her mind as well as her own state of weakness? What if when she returned home and gained her powers once more she did not want to return to Mirkwood? What if she returned to Mirkwood and the Elf King couldn’t tolerate her in her true state? What if he only tolerated her when she was weaker than he was and wanted someone that he was able to manage, someone to be ruled?

It was getting late now and Ylenia decided just to eat some lembas and get some sleep. She fell on the bed that had not been slept in for about two years and crawled under the covers. She fell asleep and that night she did not have any dreams or at least she was unable to remember having any. When Ylenia woke up it was early afternoon and she was terribly late from her schedule. She had planned to continue her journey at the sunrise but she had not woken up on time.

She was feeling cold and the humid air of the cottage had really gotten under her skin all the way into her bones but she forced herself to continue forward towards north. Ylenia knew that she would feel stronger when she got closer to the northern sea which was the source of her people’s powers. She took her things and left the cottage, called the horse that she had gotten from Thranduil and then continued her journey. It was a long and hard journey because the further up north she went, the colder the weather became. Soon there was snow and she knew that she was getting near.

In the beginning of her journey she had stopped every night to rest but now, getting closer to the sea, she did not have to stop anymore, or she had to but just so the horse could get some rest. When she arrived to her realm she was greeted with an eerie sight; there were burned villages and there were no people anywhere. Ylenia stopped in few villages and tried to find any traces of life but there was none. She reasoned that the people had escaped to the fortress of her family, surely they had…

When Ylenia got closer to the city where the palace of the witches was she finally came across people but she could see deep sorrow on their faces which made her feel very uneasy. She knew that her parents were great rulers and they would never let their people to suffer, but they were suffering. Ylenia could see it in her faces and in the way they looked at her although the common people did not know who she was. She got to the outer gate of the palace that was located in a fortress, or it was surrounded by high walls that were supposed to provide safety for the people if the Northern Realm ever got under an attack.

Ylenia was greeted by the guards who had almost accused her for trespassing the realm and the palace of the Witches but then they had finally recognized her. The only reason the guards had recognized her eventually was the painted portrait of Ylenia that was hanging on the wall with the other portraits of the family as well as their ancestors. The common people did not live more than two human lifetimes and she had been gone for 300 years now, it meant that the guards had never met her in person. Just before the guards were about the door to the grand hall for Ylenia she suddenly stopped and said  
\- Wait.

The guards stopped and turned to stare at her. She had a terrible feeling that what she would find in the grand hall would not be good. She had been imagining the great celebration that would take place for the honor of her arrival but now she knew that there would not be a feast or even a warm welcome for her. The guards asked “my lady?” a couple of times as she kept staring at the big door with a puzzled look on her face, then she shook the feeling off her and nodded.

The grand hall was dim and there were only eerie blue flames illuminating the large room. The sun had set already and the pale moonlight was pouring in through the walls that were made of ice. The atmosphere in the hall was strange, like time had stopped and like she had been waited although no one knew that she was coming. It bothered her because if someone knew that she was coming home, surely they had come to greet her at the outer gates of the city, but now there had been no one greeting her and still she had a feeling that she was expected. When Ylenia walked forward she was surprised with a sight of her brother sitting on the throne. Ylenia stopped again, grabbed the arm of the closest guard and turned to him as he stopped.

\- What is going on? she whispered. The guard leaned closer and said  
\- I am sorry, my lady, but your father as well as your mother are dead. the guard answered. Ylenia shifted her gaze elsewhere and processed the information in her mind.  
\- They died with honor in the Great War while defending the realm from the orcs. he continued. Ylenia gasped silently as the words hit her like knives. She sighed and felt her eyes getting filled with tears that rolled on her cheeks without her making any sound.  
\- Your brother took the throne and sealed himself into the fortress while our people were fighting for their lives outside. the guard continued. Ylenia shifted her eyes back to the guard and stared at him with a shocked look on her face. The guard nodded silently and before Ylenia was able to ask anything else, her brother noticed her and stood up.  
\- My beloved sister. he greeted Ylenia but his tone was bitter and cold and the word “beloved” sounded more like an insult than warm welcome. Ylenia walked with swift and firm steps closer across the large room and stopped in front of the throne. She bowed silently and when she raised her head she noticed that his appearance was perfect; he had shaved his beard, he was wearing his best armor that was shining so greatly that Ylenia surely was able to see her reflection from it.

\- Brother. she answered and bowed slowly again. Ylenia knew that it was her own brother and maybe saluting him like she was a commoner was a bit too much but she knew him and she also knew that he had always wanted to be admired. She knew that her brother was pretty unpredictable and his nature was completely different from hers; when Ylenia saw someone in trouble, she ran to help them and fought until there was either death or victory but her brother rather locked himself behind the protective walls and survived than risked his life for the benefit for others. Sure Ylenia got into trouble sometimes because of this and sometimes she had almost lost her life due to her incapability of retreating. She was stubborn and yearned for victories and great battles and respect that was earned with hard work unlike his brother who wanted the respect and admiration but was not willing to stand up for the things he loved.

Ylenia understood him in a way. She had been brought up to move away from the Northern Realm to live an easy life in Mirkwood while her brother had been raised to be a king for the realm that was lost and after Ylenia had refused marrying Thranduil and the Elf King had broken all the relations with the realm, her brother had surely known that his throne was doomed and his life was not going to be easy. He had known from the experience that the summers in the north were always short and the winters were hard as well as long. Ylenia’s brother did not have respect for the people of the Northern Realm because he saw them as lowly mortal beings whose lives didn’t really even matter and that was the reason why he had locked himself into the fortress and left his people to die.

\- Much has changed since you left. Ylenia’s brother said with a drunken voice. He walked to Ylenia and hugged her once before signaling a servant to fill up his glass. The servant did not look at Ylenia but she smiled briefly at his king as he poured wine to his goblet from a pitcher that was made of fine silver. There was something unnerving about her smile but Ylenia was unable to point out why this bothered her. It after all should have been a great thing that someone smiled in this forsaken realm.

\- Yes… but the war is over, it is time to rebuild, my brother. Ylenia said because the sight of the burned villages still haunted her mind as well the disgrace that the city just outside the palace was in.  
\- Where have you been? he slurred instead of commenting what Ylenia had said. Ylenia sighed and took a couple of steps before answering to the question. She was bothered about the feeling of danger that seemed to surround her from every direction even though she was now home and talking with her own brother. She had not felt danger like this even in the presence of Thranduil when she had met him for the first time and feeling like this among friends was very strange as well as unnerving. Ylenia stopped again and pushed that feeling aside, surely it was only her weakness that made her see shadows in places where there was none. “I am home, no one is threatening me, silly Ylenia” she thought and calmed her mind.

\- I’ve been held as a captive in Mirkwood. Ylenia began but her tone was not as firm as she had wanted so she paused, took a deep breath and then continued with louder voice  
\- I almost faded away but was brought back to life.  
\- Well, that explains why you are reeking of weakness. he commented and emptied his goblet. He signed the servant to fill it again.  
\- Yes. King Thranduil-  
\- King Thranduil! her brother scoffed and glared at Ylenia like she had sold herself to the enemy. Sure the Elf King had been the enemy, or Ylenia had thought about him as one but now after seeing her people withering away in the ashes of once glorious state, it was more than clear that she had to do what was right by her people, like she should have done 300 years ago when she had been young and selfish. Ylenia hated to surrender but she could not go on like this, besides life in Mirkwood was not a big sacrifice after all because she was attracted to the king and she had been quite happy for a moment in the elven court, however her main focus was now rebuilding and regaining her strength so she could be useful and make sure that her people, or at least the last remaining few of them had a bright future, maybe in Mirkwood if the Northern Realm got reclaimed by the ancestors. 

Ylenia knew however that if that should be the case her brother would not be welcomed to the realm of Mirkwood as the king of his people but as one of them. What made the situation even more complex was the fact that if Ylenia was to marry the Elf King, she would become the queen of Mirkwood, ranking higher than him and it was quite obvious that her brother would never bow to anyone, he was too proud for that. It was no problem for Ylenia but she knew that it would be a problem for the Elf King and therefore there was no place for her brother in Mirkwood, unless he changed radically.  
\- …he brought me back and I am considering marriage with him so our realms can be united finally, like they were supposed to 300 years ago. Ylenia explained and after a small pause she continued with a firm tone  
\- This will benefit us all, brother.  
\- Ha! This petty realm has been burning to the ground while you have been enjoying the company of the elves! Tell me, beloved sister, how did that benefit your people? he scoffed and returned to sit on his throne. He emptied his goblet halfway and Ylenia could hear the alcohol affecting his articulation which was shameful and made him look stupid.

\- Like I told you, I was captured-  
Ylenia said and then stopped when her brother signed her to shut up. He was clearly uninterested about anything that she had to say and she could feel his bitterness seeping through his armor and poisoning everything that was around him. Ylenia clenched her fists and corrected her posture. She didn’t often feel like she needed a drink but seeing her brother in such state disgusted her. She was disgusted about the way her brother was sitting inside, drinking wine in his fancy armor when at the same time his people were suffering from hunger and cold.

\- Why did you return? he asked suddenly with a bitter and somewhat angry tone.  
\- I came to regain my powers. Ylenia answered and the same feeling of danger crept back into her mind. There was something about her brother that was screaming at her as whispers that everything was not alright with him. Ylenia watched silently as her brother summoned the servant again and this time she brought a glass pitcher with two glasses that were made of finest crystal. He emptied his goblet before taking the glass pitcher from the servant.

\- Perhaps a drink, a toast, my little sister. he said and poured red liquid into both of the glasses. He stood up from the throne and walked to Ylenia with the glasses and gave a glass to her. It had an unnerving, yet familiar scent but she could not recognize it so she reasoned that it was just a scent of old wine, besides she had not had the northern wine for hundreds of years and it differed from the elvish wine that was much sweeter and didn’t have the same bitter aftertaste than the wine of the Northern Realm. The truth was that Ylenia had never really liked it anyway because it smelled weird and left a bitter taste in ones mouth. The elders had always said that the wine was like the life in the north; less sweet and it left a bitter aftertaste in your mouth, but you still loved it. Ylenia did not quite agree with the last part because she did not love the difficultness of the life up in the north but it was her home anyway… but the wine was terrible.

\- Shall we raise a toast? Ylenia’s brother suggested. Ylenia was deep in her thoughts and did not answer.  
\- Hm? he asked and suddenly he sounded surprisingly cheerful which surprised Ylenia completely.  
\- Yes. Ylenia answered and smiled briefly.  
\- To us… the last witches of the North. he said and raised his glass with a festive gesture and then took it on his lips and waited Ylenia to do the same. Ylenia mimicked the same festive gesture and emptied the glass. The taste was bitter, so much bitterer that she had ever recalled the northern wine to be. When her glass was empty, her brother emptied his.  
\- Now… lay down with me, sister. her brother said, still standing in front of her. He raised the glass and stared into the moonlight through it. 

\- I have given orders to the servants. Ylenia looked at her glass which was now empty and suddenly she felt anxious. Suddenly she recognized the familiar scent as she got a flashback memory from the childhood when she had almost eaten poison berries in the forest. There was a place behind the palace, deep in the forest where the ground was covered with blood-red berries during the autumns. The place carried always one specific scent, sweet mixed with bitter and the scent floated in the air, thick like mist but still invisible. Ylenia had almost eaten those berries once. She had been only 11 years old at the time. Her governess had stopped her just in time and later that day her brother, who was older that Ylenia, told her that those berries were poisonous. The twisted part was that it had been her brother who had told Ylenia about the place and said that they were the most delicious berries that existed in the whole Middle Earth.

\- What did you do? Ylenia asked and felt her chest hurt, she had gotten wounded in the battle many times but she had never felt a pain like this before. This pain came from inside and felt like it was crushing her heart, forcing it to slow down. Ylenia had never understood her brother who swam in much deeper waters than she did. He had always idolized death and even when they were children he had played with it. But because he was her brother she had never been able to read him well, mostly because he had always been slightly mental and unpredictable.  
\- I saw it in a dream… that you were returning. he said, motioned a servant to bring his crown, since it had been at the goldsmith to be polished and put the shiny crown on his head.

\- Everyone is dead… and we shall join our family in the eternal sleep. he continued. His voice was assertive and festive. Then he walked to the throne and sat down. Soon he twitched a couple of times and closed his eyes. The crystal glass fell down from his hand and shattered into million pieces as it hit the stone floor. The small pieces glimmered like stars in the pale moonlight that kept pouring in. The blue lights faded away one by one as the magic of Ylenia’s brother faded away. Ylenia felt the world spinning, the glass slipping from her fingers as they went numb and then she fell on the floor. She felt her heartbeat getting slower and all the sounds echoed in her mind as she tried to fight against the poisoning, but she was unable to even slow it down. Suddenly there were footsteps getting nearer. Ylenia tried to ask for help but the servant knelt down next to her and just brushed her hair with calming, slow motions.

\- Do not worry, my lady, we have prepared a glass coffin for you. You will look beautiful and peaceful. the servant spoke with a soft, comforting voice and as Ylenia managed to turn her head a little, she noticed that she was the same servant who had smiled at her brother earlier. The servant was wearing a precious looking ring as a pendant in a chain. The ring kept swinging in front of Ylenia’s face every time the servant moved and therefore it was the object where Ylenia tried to focus on it so she would not pass out. She however could feel her consciousness slipping away from her slowly.  
\- I… do… not wish… to die. Ylenia sobbed and tried to slow down the poison but it was too late. She started to twitch just like her brother had and she could feel the pieces of broken glass against her face until she couldn’t feel anything anymore.  
\- Do not fret my dear lady, let it happen… it will not hurt anymore. the servant said and kept brushing Ylenia’s hair as she watched the princess gasping her last breaths… or so the servant thought.

Everything went black as Ylenia went unconscious but she did not die, unlike her brother had intended. Her will to live was too strong but she felt herself slipping into the freezing mist again. She saw the servants taking her body and changing her clothes and dressing her into a gown that was ice-blue and had silver embroideries. The servants placed a circlet on Ylenia’s head and then lowered her in the glass casket which was then taken to the shore of the icy sea which had been her favorite place as a child.

Ylenia tried to scream and find a way out from the shadow realm, back to the land of the living but she was too weak to do so. She felt like she had been behind an invisible glass wall that separated her from her own body and the wall did not break even though she tried to break it with her bare hands. Ylenia laughed bitterly when the servants placed a bouquet of white autumn flowers and those blood-red berries into her hands. Ylenia knew that it was her brother’s final mockery for her.

That night Thranduil had a dream, a nightmare from which he woke up panting, covered in cold sweat. He got an intense feeling that something was wrong and decided that he had to send his spies to the Northern Realm. He got up from his bed and rushed through the palace from his private chamber into the library and searched for old maps. He found the old scrolls that he was looking for and placed them on the table. Then he lighted a couple of candles and put some weights on each corner of the fragile map as he spread it on the table. He measured the distance from his palace to the Ice Bay of Forochel and tried to estimate how quickly the spies would get there.

The Elf King tried to remember what Ylenia had spoken about the terrain and the weather conditions but the Northern Realm had not been her favorite subject because it just had reminded her of how long it had been since she had been there the last time. Thranduil however knew that the longer he waited, the more difficult the travel would be for his spies but he decided to return to bed because there was no point of bothering his mind with it now in the middle of the night. When he returned to his bed and finally managed he fall back to sleep he had a dream where Ylenia spoke to him. It was difficult to hear her voice and it sounded distorted and broken, but there were few things that the Elf King was able to hear clearly.

\- King Thranduil. Ylenia called and her voice echoed in twilight that was surrounded with freezing mist. Thranduil woke up and basically jumped out from his bed. The dream had felt too real but he had a strange feeling even now that he was awake. He could still feel Ylenia’s presence in the room even though he was completely awake and entirely sure about that. He furrowed his brows and sharpened his eyes as he scanned his private bedroom in the pale moonlight that felt so much paler than it normally did.  
\- Ride to the north. See what happened. 

Thranduil heard Ylenia whispering but this time the voice came right behind him. The Elf King knew that it was impossible that Ylenia was in the same room with him and this had to be some kind of sorcery.  
\- Come to me once more. Free me from the icy sleep. Ylenia whispered and when Thranduil turned around he saw her standing behind a wall of ice staring at him with a heartbreaking look on her face that was filled with sorrow and longing. Ylenia touched the ice and pressed her hand against it. Thranduil did the same but when he touched the ice and it shattered into sharp pieces like glass and she was gone. Thranduil knelt down on the floor and touched the ice that was now covering his floor and glimmered in the moonlight. The ice started melting immediately and soon it was completely gone.

The Elf King decided to ride to the Northern Realm himself instead of sending his spies to do the work for him. He rode away in the morning with a handful of guards and a couple of his most trusted servants. The elves rode day and night and after a week they finally reached the fortress. No one was there to greet them. The king scanned the surroundings cautiously and tried to find traces of Ylenia if her spirit still lingered in the halls, even as a faint memory. There was nothing so Thranduil motioned his guards to follow him into the palace. When they went to the throne room, they found Ylenia’s brother, the king, sitting on the throne with a crown on his head. He looked like he was sleeping but then again he was too pale for that.

\- You came. Ylenia said from the shadows. She was standing next to the throne and Thranduil was the only one who could see her. Ylenia was wearing a beautiful dress and a circlet on her head. She kept holding onto a bouquet of flowers and berries which looked very unnerving for Thranduil because the blood-red berries looked like drops of blood on her dress.  
\- What happened here? the elf asked as he looked around. The sun was setting and the throne hall was getting dimmer at every moment. Ylenia shifted his gaze from the elf to his brother who was sitting dead on the throne, then she gasped like it had been too painful to remember and said  
\- My brother… He poisoned himself and-  
\- You as well. Thranduil gasped and suddenly he realized that he was standing right on the spot where Ylenia had fallen. There were small pieces of glass and they made a high pitched sound every time Thranduil moved his boots on them. He had not noticed the sound before but now it hurt his ears.

\- How are you still here? I can’t sense your brother. he asked after a moment. His tone was curious but there was a hint of hope in it. There had to be a reason why Ylenia had not crossed over yet.  
\- My brother is gone. He faded instantly. Ylenia began and closed her eyes as she recalled the events of that evening.  
\- My spirit still lingers on here because I do not want to fade away. she continued and opened her eyes. She kept staring at Thranduil and then she faded away for a moment. Thranduil scanned his surroundings and tried to catch her memory again.  
\- Oh? Is there a reason for that? he asked with a hopeful tone and felt Ylenia standing behind him.  
\- I do not want to die. she whispered. Thranduil closed his eyes because a strange feeling filled his mind. He felt hopeful and uncommonly tingly. He knew that if he turned around there would not be nothing but his own guards behind him.

\- I was happy in Mirkwood… for those few weeks. she continued with whispers that echoed in the throne hall although no one else was able to hear her.  
\- You were happy with me? Thranduil asked and fought the urge to turn around and look.  
\- Yes. Ylenia whispered right into his ear. Thranduil could feel her breath on his skin but instead of being warm, her breath was ice cold and would have caused a frostbite to a mortal being. Thranduil felt relieved suddenly but he knew that he had to shake those distracting feelings away, now the most important thing was to find a way to bring Ylenia back.  
\- Where is your body? he asked immediately. 

\- Come… I’ll show you. Ylenia said and when Thranduil finally turned around, he saw her walking slowly in front of him. She walked to the garden and all the way to the cliff. There was a glass coffin, covered with snow.  
Thranduil started to run when he saw the coffin. Ylenia appeared standing beside it looking down with a sorrowful look on her face. He stopped just a couple of meters before the coffin and then after catching his breath and calming his mind he walked slowly to it. He wiped the glass and uncovered Ylenia’s face. She looked gorgeous with her lips colored deep red and eyes lined with black, her skin looked almost like it had been made of porcelain and her hair shone with blue light.

\- My brother had seen in a dream that I was coming back so he wanted us to join our family. Ylenia spoke quietly. There was a strong wind blowing from the sea but her hair was not affected by it even though the wind was playing almost violently with the hair of the elves. Thranduil kept staring at Ylenia’s face instead of her memory and whispered with a desperate tone that he did not know how to save her this time. He ordered his guards to lift the lid of the casket and as soon as the heavy glass lid was removed, the Elf King took Ylenia’s hand.  
\- I can’t feel it. Ylenia said. Thranduil slid his arms under her back and lifted her carefully so she was halfway sitting, laying limp in the arms of the Elf King. Ylenia watched Thranduil leaning closer and kissing her lips desperately but she did not feel a thing.

\- Maybe I have already faded. Ylenia sighed more certain than ever that she did not want to fade but she started to feel desperate. She had thought or assumed that surely Thranduil would be able to bring her back like he had the previous time but now she couldn’t feel his either his touch or his lips.  
\- No! That is unacceptable! Thranduil exclaimed with a shaky voice. His eyes had filled with tears and he pressed his forehead against Ylenia’s chest that was cold and still. He could not hear her heart beating or feel her even breathing.

\- I can’t feel you… Ylenia whispered and walked to the cliff. She looked down to the roaring sea and kept staring at the waves that crashed one by one to the rocks as she went through in her mind every spell and every belief that her people had. There had to be some way that she could bring herself back. No matter what or how long it took. She had a reason to live; there was a chance to… find love. No, not “find” because the love that was meant for her was right in front of her and therefore there was no giving up now.

\- Yes… I know what must be done. Ylenia mumbled and then turned around to talk directly to Thranduil.  
\- Seal the casket. Take the boat out to the sea and sink the coffin. she stated with a firm tone.  
\- What! Thranduil exclaimed. Ylenia nodded and walked to the Elf King. She tried to take his hand but she was all the time too far to do so, even when she was standing right next to him. “Yes” she whispered.  
Thranduil nodded and ordered the guards to lift the glass lid, place it back on its place and seal the casket. He ordered other guard to find a boat and after finding one he ordered the coffin to be carried on board. The boat left the shore and sailed through the waves further away from the shore. The sea was angry and the weather was gray. The guards lowered the coffin to the water with ropes and waited for Thranduil’s orders.

\- Are you certain? Thranduil asked before he ordered the guards to let go and let the coffin to sink below the waves.  
\- No, but it is the only way. Ylenia answered.  
\- I have fear in my heart and doubt in my mind… I do not like this. Thranduil stated and shook his head.  
\- If I can, I will return to you. Maybe then you’ll get your chance. she whispered and gasped as she tried to stay brave. The elf had tears in his eyes and he looked heartbroken and afraid.  
\- I shall use it wisely. he whispered and closed his eyes. When the elf wasn’t looking Ylenia was able to get close to him. The king gasped when he felt a soft touch on his cheek, like a light freezing breeze moving from his eyebrows to his chin. “Goodbye, Thranduil” Ylenia whispered and her spirit-form faded away leaving the elves alone with her body that was in the coffin. Thranduil opened his eyes and gave his guards a sign to let the glass coffin sink. He kept staring at it as it sank deeper into the dark depths of the icy sea and suddenly he Ylenia opening her eyes. When the coffin hit the bottom of the sea, the waves calmed down instantly.

The elves sailed back to the shore and the Elf King stayed on the shore for many hours, staring at the calm sea as the daylight faded away. Thranduil waited for many hours but nothing happened. He gave orders to make a camp outside the fortress and retired to his guards when the temperature started to drop. When he woke up the next day, the sea had frozen solid which terrified him. The days turned into a week and nothing happened. Thranduil spent his days standing on the shore of the frozen sea waiting until he had to return to Mirkwood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To Pilvi.


	6. Thousand moons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil returns to Mirkwood and tries to continue living

When the coffin hit the bottom of the sea time stopped for Ylenia. It started to fill with water slowly and Ylenia felt a state of panic kicking in and she tried her best to remove the lid or break the glass but the coffin was very sturdy and she couldn’t escape her watery grave. She tried to hold her breath until she couldn’t anymore and then she breathed in the icy water while she saw dark shadowy creatures approaching from the dark depths and surrounding the coffin. After this Ylenia couldn’t see or feel anything anymore, her body froze in time and her spirit traveled faraway from any worlds that existed. 

Her spirit did not go into the shadow realm but somewhere else entirely. It went to a place where there was only blue twilight and ice; the place where the old spirits, her ancestors, had been born. From that place they had once left and dived into the northern sea where they had gotten their physical form and finally moved to the dry land although their physical form had been still very wraith-like and very far from anything constant or corporeal. With time they had become the witches as they were today; people who looked very much like normal humans but they had very distinctive features as their eyes were ice-blue and their hair was either completely silver with blue glow or black from the roots and silver from the tips, with blue in the middle that changed from dark to light, like Ylenia’s hair was. They were tall and fit people, not as gracefully built as the elves and even the women had visible muscles, but they still looked feminine because they were quite curvy that balanced the wide shoulders and strong-looking physique.

When a witch died, they returned as wraiths if the death had not been deserved, which meant that if the witch died cowardly or in a way that was not noble, they did not go into the place where the ancestors had been born but stayed as wraiths that lived in the sea. They however were restless and consumed by the fact that they had not deserved a peaceful rest with the ancestors in the place of blue twilight and therefore they sometimes rose back to the land and tried to trick the living to wander off alone and then the fed with their life force. This was what Ylenia’s brother had become. Ylenia’s parents had died in the battle while defending their people and therefore they had returned into the place where the spirits could live on in peace only as a vivid emotion, leaving the physical world as well as ones memories behind.

Ylenia had never quite believed these stories herself. She had encountered wraiths but she did not think there was nothing glorious in death, unlike many of his ancestors. In other words she did not think that the place where she now was existed, but because she wanted to be reborn she was not able to reach her parents. If she had chosen death, she would have been reunited with her parents and lived in peace for an eternity but her heart belonged now to another and she could not leave Middle Earth behind. It was the only thing that kept her from crossing over for good; her genuine desire to experience love as well as save her people from the wraiths that were getting restless and more violent. The Northern Realm had been bargained from the oldest wraiths a long time ago and as the time had passed by the new generations had lost their respect for their ghostly ancestors and the old treaties were now wearing thin, besides all the bitter souls had turned into wraiths and they were hungry for life, not to live it but to feed on it.

Time passed, life went on as the seasons followed each other, also in Mirkwood. Slowly Thranduil moved on and buried his hopes of Ylenia’s return. Normally the Elf King was very patient man but the time just seemed to slow down until it stopped completely. He did not know how long it had been but even a day had felt like an eternity… until he had given up hope and continued his life. Legolas returned from his travels and the lonely Elf King concentrated to serve his realm but he had decided that he would never remarry. He had lost too much; first his wife as well as his father, many of his friends and now Ylenia.

Even though Thranduil had known Ylenia for a little while and their relationship had been mostly endless arguing and firing offences at each other, he had still gotten attached to her. She had made him feel young again and it was something that no one else had been able to do. He had felt that he was part of the world and that Ylenia was his equal, which was strange because he had gotten used to think that he was above everyone. Ylenia however had challenged him over and over again and she had been strong, true to her principles but also reliable… but now she was gone.

Thranduil was sitting on his throne one spring day. He was bored, so painfully bored. Now that there was no evil rising from the east, there was no danger in his life. Sure he enjoyed the calmness but then again he was the king of action and hard decisions but now there was peace in the realm, the entire Middle Earth actually and he felt a little useless. As time had passed by he had even started to play with an idea of remarrying but the thought always reminded him about Ylenia who was the very person that he wanted to forget about. The grief was still too near although he kept telling himself that she was no one special, just a silly girl from a faraway land, one person more who had abandoned him into the eternal loneliness. 

Thranduil was brutally awaken from his thoughts when there was a loud sound of a heavy door slamming shut when a guard entered the throne hall and announced that there was a visitor for the Elf King. Thranduil sighed and muttered that he was ready for the guest although he was not in the mood for visitors. The guard opened the door again and a person who was wearing a dark cloak walked in slowly. The footsteps echoed in the hall as the person walked forward and the hem of the long cloak swooshed as it moved around.

Thranduil did not stand up. He had seen far too many of these theatrical entrances and they failed to amuse him these days. His visitor clearly wanted to be noticed but then again whoever he or she had covered themselves with the hood which meant that they did not want to be recognized or maybe it served some deeper purpose but to be honest, Thranduil was not in the mood for games. He sighed for such dramatic entrance and leaned onto his arm, lifted his leg on his other knee and rolled his eyes as he shook his head with a deeply annoyed look on his face.

There had been many times when hooded strangers had been found trespassing on his lands and the king had gotten his hopes up that maybe it was Ylenia but as time had passed by and after countless of disappointments Thranduil had lost hope completely and instead of being excited about visitors and guests from the foreign realms, he was nowadays just terribly irritated when someone tried to appear mysterious and twice as irritated when that someone turned out to be some lady who had assumed to gain the interest of the king by appearing to him that way.

\- Yes? he sighed when the person, who could have been a very thin man or a well-built woman stopped in front of his throne. The person kept his head bowed down which annoyed the Elf King greatly. Did he or she expect him, the king, to leave his throne and-  
\- Is that how you, the great King Thranduil, greet your guests? the person asked with a challenging tone that echoed eerily in the halls as she spoke. Thranduil groaned. He was not in the mood for any games or mockery. The only person who was allowed to mock him freely was laying on the bottom of the sea and she clearly was not coming back so mockery was banned in Mirkwood, in his halls at least.  
\- A guest is someone who has been invited, you are an intruder. he commented and almost signed his guards to take the person away.  
\- Aren’t you polite! the person chuckled and walked a small circle. The sound of the shoes and the cloak were driving Thranduil insane.  
\- I am the king of this realm… I am merely stating your position. he said and rolled his eyes as he sighed with a tone was partially irritated but also had an undertone of great boredom in it, like he had been hoping that someone would save him from the future where nothing exciting happened. The “guest” made a “hm” –sound and continued walking in the throne hall as the king sat high up in his throne, neither of them said anything. After a while Thranduil groaned and corrected his posture. He had had enough and he was about to sign a guard to escort his “guest” away when suddenly the person turned around and asked  
\- Are you bored?

\- What kind of question is that? Thranduil scoffed and shifted his position in his throne. He straightened the sleeves in his robe and after that he checked out that his precious rings were all in excellent condition. They were but he thought that someday soon he should probably ask his servant to take them to the goldsmith to be polished. “Like it even mattered” he thought and then he shifted his focus on his intruder again. The person kept pushing his buttons and somehow he had a feeling that whoever the person was, he or she would not leave him alone that easily. It had been a while since Thranduil had killed anyone in a whim just because he didn’t like the person or they managed to annoy him and he was soon getting to the point where he was ready to run down from his throne and shut the person up with his sword, which was his most loyal friend who had fought beside him through his entire life.

\- A mere observation. the person commented and smiled, although the smile was kept hidden from the Elf King who was clearly getting upset. There was something strangely familiar in the voice of the intruder and finally Thranduil stood up and walked down the stairs slowly. He was wearing a beautiful long robe that fitted him well. The hem rustled a little when he came down the stairs and his hand felt the cold handle of his sword. The person noticed that the king was reaching out for his sword and said  
\- I think, if you ask me-  
\- I don’t-  
\- …your day is going to get a lot more interesting. the person stated and followed the king’s example and reached out for the sword that was fastened to the hips with a belt.  
\- Who are you to talk to me like that? I do not tolerate such crude speech from peasants in my halls. Thranduil shouted and threatened the person with a sword who merely pushed the blade away and asked with a light chuckle  
\- What makes you think that I am a peasant?

\- If you weren’t you would not cover your face… the king stated and pointed at the hood of the intruders cloak with the sword. The gesture was threatening but the person did not seem to mind, he or she did not even step back. This annoyed and intrigued the elf, mostly annoyed but there was also a small seed of interest hidden behind the irritation.  
\- And talk in such way… he continued and lowered his sword. There was no point in threatening the intruder with a sword if it did not even frighten them.  
\- There is only one person who is… Thranduil said and felt a sharp pain of grief stabbing his heart. He was getting angry that this intruder was forcing him to think about her… Ylenia. He squeezed the handle of his sword tightly and then corrected himself  
\- …was bold enough-  
\- Do you miss her? the intruder asked suddenly and interrupted Thranduil.  
\- I beg your pardon? Thranduil asked and glared at the person angrily.

\- This person… You stole a kiss from her lips not once, but twice… her first kiss. the person said and her words made the Elf King think about those two times when he had kissed Ylenia. During both of the times she had been unconscious and her lips had been cold. He could almost feel the coldness of them as the memory took over his mind. It was not a pleasant memory because it reminded him about the fact that she was gone and there was no way that she would come back anymore. Thranduil had waited. He had kept the guestroom ready for her but she had never returned. It was an unpleasant memory indeed.  
\- What sorcery is this? he asked with an angry voice.  
\- The first time she tried to slap you. the person said with a soft voice that echoed in the halls although the tone was not loud at all.  
\- The second time she did not want you to stop. the intruder continued but this time the voice had no eerie echo.

\- You are crossing the line! Thranduil exclaimed and turned away. He very rarely did that but now it had been an involuntary action or more like an involuntary reaction to the words that the person had said. The person continued immediately anyway  
\- But it was too late. You had to watch her disappear under the waves-  
\- That memory is private! Thranduil shouted and turned around. His eyes were burning with hurt and anger, but mostly hurt. Then he added  
\- You are most cruel to remind m-  
\- You still don’t recognize me? the person asked, or more like stated and interrupted the king.  
\- No and you have not made my day any less boring, you have brought me nothing but grief so far. the Elf King stated with a firm and cold tone that had an undertone of hurt and grief.  
\- Wow… What a warm welcome! the person exclaimed. It was obvious that there was a line that the person had crossed but since the game had been started, it had to be played all the way to the very end. The person walked a bit further away from the elf and sighed.

\- The welcome is just as warm as you deserve. Thranduil hissed. He was considering cutting the intruders throat anyway, just because it would shut him or her up for good.  
\- Oh-ha-ha! I’ve missed these arguments. the intruder chuckled but the tone of was not offensive or even sarcastic. The person sounded genuinely delighted which was very unexpected and strange.  
\- Who are you? Show yourself! the king demanded. The person was really getting under his skin now and it was highly annoying, on the edge of being totally unbearable. He walked in front of the person, put his hand on the person’s arm and turned him or her around. The hood covered the face but he could see a smile. Definitely a smile of a woman… 

The woman thought that he had probably tortured the poor king enough already so she lifted her hands, tangled her fingers with the fabric of her cloak and pulled the hood off slowly. She kept her head bowed so Thranduil saw the first the blue hair which was not black from the roots anymore but all the way twilight-blue, a silver headpiece, the familiar greenish blue colors around her eyes, long lashes that were blacker than the darkest night, those piercing ice-blue eyes that focused now on him… The Elf King took one step backwards.  
\- Lady Ylenia! he exclaimed in awe.  
\- How? he asked. Ylenia smiled and then began  
\- It took a thousand moons but-

Her sentence was cut short when all of a sudden Thranduil closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. First Ylenia did not react in any way and in fact she even held her breath but as the embrace continued she let herself to relax a little and slid her arms behind his shoulders. After a while he took some distance and cupped her face with his large hands. He examined her features with keen eyes almost as he was trying to find something to prove her to be nothing but a mirage, a magic trick or a cruel joke.

But she was not. Ylenia was there in flesh and blood. All her scars were gone and her eyes were even icier than before and there was even a healthy blush on her cheeks. The most important difference was that her skin was warm. Thranduil kept caressing her face with his fingertips and light brushes and he was still a little unconvinced that it was Ylenia who was standing there, right in front of him, within his reach, but he did not know if her feelings had changed so he stepped further away from her and removed his hands from her skin. Besides realized that his actions as well as manners were greatly out of character and too personal so he decided to correct them immediately.

The reason why Ylenia had played such mind games with Thranduil was that she knew that she had been gone for a long time, over 80 years to be exact, although for the elves it was basically nothing but she suspected that for Thranduil it had been a long time. There had been such great amount of grief, sadness and fear on the face of the elf when Ylenia had said her goodbyes so she had been somewhat certain that even a day was as long as a year for the one who was left behind to wait. When she had finally crawled back to the shore from the icy sea she had cried on the cold, snowy rocks for a couple of moons as she had forced her body to wake up again. Her muscles had forgotten how to move and she had even had to learn how to breathe again after coughing her lungs free from the icy seawater. Then she had completed the process of being reborn and walked towards the south until she had found a horse.

Ylenia had been hopeful that her return would be a joyous event but then, at the gates of the elven palace, she had realized that maybe something had changed and therefore she had wanted to stay hidden and find out if her memory was cherished one or not. Besides, Ylenia had missed the heated arguments with the Elf King so she had decided to tease him a little, even though it had been slightly cruel and she was aware of that even herself. Soon after she had begun her mind game she had noticed that Thranduil was still mourning for her but she had gone too far in her own game, well past the point of no return and therefore she had to go through with it. When Thranduil had threatened her with the sword it had been a confirmation that the king’s feelings were, whatever they were, still alive… but she had not been afraid, no, Ylenia felt that after surviving a death that had come by the hand of her own brother, nothing could ever make her scared again.

\- How? he asked with a tone that was a mixture of curiosity and amazement.  
\- Magic… Ylenia said and smiled.  
\- I need to… order the maids to prepare a chamber for you. Thranduil said, walked around a little and then stopped when she joked  
\- No cell down in the dungeon?  
-No, unless you prefer… a cell in the dungeon. he replied with an apologetic tone. He remembered all too well how he had locked Ylenia up and in a way caused the whole ordeal. If he had not done that, she wouldn’t have faded and gotten into the shadow realm and then she wouldn’t have returned to the Northern Realm and any of this wouldn’t have happened. But it had happened and Ylenia was back. It was time to make amends and look into the future, although Thranduil did not know if her feelings had changed. Maybe they had died with her… or maybe her feelings had never been anything more than just friendly in nature. Maybe Ylenia could not love her capturer, maybe she blamed Thranduil for everything.

\- Ha-ha! I would prefer a real chamber, thank you. Ylenia laughed and followed Thranduil closely as he notified a guard and ordered a chamber to be prepared for the high guest. Ylenia turned around when the Elf King walked past her and when she did she noticed Legolas standing behind her slightly further away. Thranduil spoke to him in elvish but everything that the Elf King did or said beyond that point, slipped away from her mind completely. 

Ylenia had not seen the elf prince since she had heard him talking with his father while she had been just a memory lingering in the halls of the elven palace and Legolas was not aware of the fact that she knew. He had been avoiding Ylenia the whole time she was awake before leaving Mirkwood. He felt guilty and sorry for everything that he had caused to happen and he was also deeply sorry for breaking her heart although no promises had been ever made and whatever Ylenia had imagined in her mind, it had been her own doing… But Legolas knew that it was not entirely so. He was still attracted to the mesmerizing witch but he had seen his father mourning for her and he had accepted the fact that Lady Ylenia was not meant for him, the prince, but for the king perhaps, if they managed to keep their relations civil and not to annoy each other to death.

\- Legolas! Ylenia exclaimed with a surprised tone as long as she had recovered from the first shock.  
\- It is so good to see you, Lady Ylenia. You look well. Legolas answered and bowed deeply.  
\- Likewise. she answered and smiled a little.  
\- How have you been? he asked. His voice was soft, just as soft as Ylenia had remembered. There had been a time when that voice had spoken comforting words to her hand those hands that were now behind his back had been holding hers as a sign of compassion and companionship. Unfortunately Ylenia had mistaken those kind gestures in a wrong way then which made this reunion a bit awkward.  
\- Uhm… I do not really know what to answer to that question. Ylenia answered and shifted her gaze from the elf prince to the ground. Legolas did not comment so Ylenia felt like she had to explain herself a little better.

\- I was in the bottom of the sea and then I came here… and I must say that nothing much happened down there. I cannot remember anything actually. she continued and sighed. Then she shifted her gaze back to the elf that was standing in front of her, silently.  
\- Time stopped and I was… resurrected, kind of… brought back… or I brought myself back. I regained my… powers. I wanted to survive so I… did. she stammered as she tried to form her thoughts into words no matter how difficult it was. Then she paused. Talking with Legolas was somewhat painful; the old feelings of disappointment and loneliness flooded back in and Ylenia felt abandoned by him although she knew that those feelings would surely fade away very soon. Those feelings had just been the last feelings she had had for Legolas so they were the first ones to appear now and make her feel confused.  
\- How are you? Ylenia asked after a silence that had suddenly grown into a moment that felt like half of an eternity.

\- Well… We defeated Sauron… the One Ring has been finally destroyed and the evil of the east is gone. Legolas answered and smiled a little. Ylenia could read in his eyes that the war had been horrible and the elf prince had seen more death than he had ever seen before as well as more destruction and suffering than one elf should see during ones eternal life.  
\- I’ve been traveling Middle Earth with my friend Gimli, helping people to rebuild their homes. he continued. His tone was always soft and calm when he talked to Ylenia which made Ylenia miss the time when there had been a certain kind of warmness in his voice as well, that type of warmness that was reserved only for the one special someone, whom his heart had chosen to love. It however was not Ylenia, it had never been her.  
\- That is good. Ylenia commented and suddenly she felt like the air had left the great throne hall and she was suffocating although she knew that it was not the case. There was plenty of air but it just felt like she was not able to get it in her lungs because there was this terrible weight on her chest, crushing her.  
\- Well… I think I need some air now. It has been a long day and all the memories just… Uhm… she continued and chuckled a little to cover her state of panic. Seeing Thranduil had been quite enough as its own and seeing them both was just a bit too much to handle at once.

\- Anyway… If you both excuse me. Ylenia said and bowed before walking away from the throne hall. She walked swiftly into the garden and soon a maid came to tell her that the room was ready. Ylenia thanked the maid and then concentrated on filling her lungs with the cool spring air. After a few minutes she started to feel better and her mind calmed down. The minutes passed by and suddenly she sensed a presence hiding in the shadow. The garden was getting somewhat dark already so Ylenia lighted a couple of blue flames with her regained powers and put them burn on the snow that was still covering the ground in some places.

\- I can see that it is painful for you to see my son. Thranduil spoke with a calm and soft tone while walked behind her and put his warm cloak on hers so she would not feel cold. The Elf King did not want her to feel cold ever again. Ylenia turned her head and thanked him for the kind gesture and then she answered  
\- No it’s not… I mean I would not say “painful”… it after all is such a strong word.  
Ylenia had gotten her fair share of pain and she did not want to use that word lightly. However seeing Legolas for the first time after a human-lifetime, which had however felt like a very short time for her, had been painful, but she did not want to admit it. She did not want to admit it to herself and especially not to the Elf King. Ylenia smiled and turned to face Thranduil but she wished silently that he would not ask any other questions concerning her feelings for Legolas.

\- Do you still have feelings for him? the king asked. Ylenia fought against the urge to look away and this time she won. The look on her face did not change, she did not let her smile fade away as she kept thinking for an answer. Ylenia did not want to lie but she did not know what she felt either. She had been so sure about her feelings for Thranduil but then she had seen Legolas and it had confused her. Now that Ylenia kept thinking about the answer she finally understood, felt it in her bones, that life with Legolas was not an option. It had never been an option, only a beautiful dream that had helped her trough some hard times.  
\- No. Ylenia answered finally. It was a firm “no” of which she was completely sure about. She was uncertain about many things but now that she had recovered from the first shock of seeing the elf prince for the first time after he had broken her heart, now that her mind was calm and clear again, she knew that her feelings for Legolas were nothing more than friendly in nature. Ylenia chuckled a little and continued  
\- However I do miss that feeling of companionship and tingling-  
\- Tingling? Thranduil asked with a curious tone.  
\- Yes, the feeling that you have in your stomach when you’re talking with someone… special. Ylenia explained. Thranduil shifted his gaze to the blue flames for a moment and asked  
\- You had that with my son?

\- Can you please call him Legolas? Ylenia asked immediately. It indeed felt strange when the man that she might have had feelings for called the man who had broken her heart as “his son”. Thranduil shifted his gaze back to Ylenia and asked  
\- Excuse me?  
\- Please. It kind of feels strange when you refer to him as your son. Ylenia explained. Thranduil nodded.  
\- Very well… Did you have that with Legolas? he asked with a cautious tone. The Elf King did not want to open any old wounds but he had to know what was Ylenia’s situation with Legolas, if she still had feelings for him.  
\- For a moment I thought I did. I mistook his friendship as something… more. Ylenia answered and squatted down. She took a handful of snow and felt it in her hand, stared it melting slowly away and burning her skin as it did so. Thranduil kept staring at Ylenia and tried to decide whether he should explain t reasons behind his sons actions to her. He came to a conclusion that Ylenia had a right to know so he began  
\- If it makes you feel any better, his feelings were deeper but then he heard about the… presumed marriage. the Elf King explained and then stopped. He took a deep breath and shifted his gaze elsewhere before continuing.

\- He had to push his feelings aside because he felt that he had to choose between his loyalty towards me and his feelings towards you. Thranduil added and then secretly glanced at Ylenia to see her reaction to what he had just told her.  
\- Oh… she sighed and turned her gaze away. The smile that she had managed to keep on her face left for a moment as she processed this new piece of information. Ylenia had thought that her feelings had been dealt with but apparently it wasn’t the case, not entirely at least. She still needed time to recover from the heartbreak. Even dying and being resurrected couldn’t fix a broken heart even though she had hoped so.  
\- Well… It does not matter… anymore… anyway… she muttered with a silent tone. The she noticed that Thranduil was staring at her so she shook herself out from those thoughts and cleared her throat.  
\- Does not matter. Ylenia stated with a firm tone and faked a smile just to hide her true feelings from the Elf King.  
\- In a way I pity him, his situation was not easy. Thranduil commented. He sounded apologetic but also a little bit jealous, maybe sad even.  
\- I understand and fear not; I do not have a grudge. Ylenia stated and smiled a little wider which turned into a silence.

\- So… a presumed marriage… Ylenia sighed. She was not completely ready emotionally to think about such things but she knew that she had returned to Mirkwood willingly and she had known that the topic was waiting for her with Thranduil.  
\- Yes, but… Do not worry, you are not obliged to honor any agreements made by your father, how is he anyway? he asked suddenly.  
\- Dead. Ylenia answered.  
\- And your mother? he asked.  
\- Also dead. she sighed. Thranduil nodded because he felt awkward. He cleared his throat and asked  
\- Would you like me to talk with my… he said and then realized that he was about to use the phrase “my son” which Ylenia had asked him not to use. Ylenia started to laugh because the Elf King looked so amusing when he was feeling embarrassed or did not know what to say. He was always in control and it was almost delightful to see him so shy and nervous, struggling to find the right words.  
\- Legolas? Thranduil corrected.

\- No! Ylenia chuckled. Laughing made her feel a little bit lighter immediately and she remembered that it was the Elf King who had captured her heart and saved her from a certain death two times. He was the one who had the dark heart and strong personality, strong enough to match hers and be her equal. “Legolas is just a boy anyway” Ylenia told herself silently, although at this point it was more like trying to convince herself about all the things that she had forgotten and then continued  
\- You do not have to talk with “your” Legolas.  
\- I see. Thranduil commented. He saw that Ylenia was struggling although she was masking it almost perfectly, therefore he decided that the best thing to do was to let some time pass and wait.  
\- Whatever feelings I had… They are no more. I respect him, I think he is a wonderful person… He is a friend. Yes, that’s what he is; a dear friend. Ylenia answered and tried to smile. She wanted her answer to be true but it was only half-true, the other half was confused and heartbroken.

Thranduil wished Ylenia good night and then left her into the garden to stare at the stars that were appearing one by one on the darkening sky. There was a cold breeze from the north reminding her of those great adventures but now there was something else as well; it reminded her of her people that was still struggling in the north. Ylenia however was not quite ready to think about all the other people right now since her own life seemed to be a big pile of mess at the moment. She hated the fact that seeing Legolas had confused her mind in such ridiculous way and although she had felt deep surety about her feelings towards Thranduil and she had hoped him to wrap his arms around him, she had to admit that emotionally she was not ready yet. Ylenia had to let the elf prince go before she could start anything with Thranduil. Otherwise it would be just another mess waiting to happen and she was quite tired of dealing with those.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Lionroar
> 
> I hope you liked this :)


	7. Friendship and good intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ylenia settles in Mirkwood but life is not exactly uncomplicated...

Ylenia wrapped the king’s cloak tighter around her and let herself sink deep into her thoughts again. Her thoughts were ruled by questions that she did not really want to get answers to or maybe she knew the answers already but did not want to admit it. Seeing Legolas again had been awkward and Ylenia regretted that she had allowed it to mess up with her mind in such way. It was the state of confusion that annoyed her greatly; she had assumed that her feelings for Legolas had been forgotten and the truth was that Thranduil and the thought of a wonderful life together had been the thing that had kept her alive and she had been so excited to meet the Elf King again, especially knowing that they had basically promised each other to try again if Ylenia came back…

And she had come back. Ylenia had been so enthusiastic about the reunion and she had waited to see the look on Thranduil’s face after she had played mysterious for a moment but then she had turned and seen Legolas. It had been a thing that Ylenia had not expected, not even in her wildest dreams, which felt very foolish now. Ylenia knew that she should have guessed that if she returned to Mirkwood most likely the prince of the realm would be there as well. Yes, it certainly had been foolish to ignore that fact because what was supposed to be a happy reunion with the Elf King had turned into an awkward reunion with the prince.

Ylenia noticed a wooden bench and sat down. She buried her face into her palms and sighed. She was confused about what Thranduil had said about him talking to his son. “Talk about what?” Ylenia thought and then lifted her head and returned to admire the stars which weren’t as bright as in the north, at the shore of the icy sea. Had Thranduil meant that he would talk with Legolas and tell him that he would allow the union between her and the prince. “But it is not what I want!” Ylenia exclaimed but then she had to admit to herself that she didn’t quite know anymore what she wanted.

What if she could have the life with Legolas? He was kind and graceful, warm and caring… but he was also innocent in a way, although now that he had seen so much death, Ylenia had been able to sense that it had left a mark in his spirit. When before the Great War Legolas had never really lost anyone, now he had seen much death around him and lost friends. It had changed him and his attitude towards life. He had grown up.

Ylenia’s thoughts were interrupted when a servant came to escort her to her room which had been prepared for her. Ylenia followed the servant through long corridors and finally she was at the door of the guestroom. Ylenia walked in and took the king’s cloak off her shoulders because the room was quite warm. The room was beautiful, big and it had a wonderful view to the garden. There were candles all around and a small fireplace that was the source of the warmth. The bath was also ready for her and the private bathroom carried a scent of expensive bath oils. The servant who then introduced herself as Ylenia’s personal maid, showed Ylenia where everything was and she took a very luxurious looking nightgown from the closet and presented it to Ylenia with a very graceful gesture. Ylenia smiled and nodded.

The maid took a long, silky dressing robe from the closet and hung it on a hook that was in the bathroom. She told Ylenia that she had put the nightgown on the bed and if Ylenia needed anything, she should just notify the guard who was outside her door. Ylenia was very pleased that the maid spoke the common language and she seemed like a pleasant person. Ylenia thanked her and wished her good night when the maid was leaving. After that Ylenia got undressed and stepped into the bathtub. The water felt very hot at first and it burned her feel a little and for a moment she did not really even want to sit down.

Ylenia stood in the bathtub until she started to feel very stupid. She had gotten accustomed to icy water and this warm water felt very strange to her. However the truth was that she was a little bit afraid of water now. Sure being submerged into the icy sea had saved her life and she loved water as an element above any other but the last thing she could remember was being drowned and unable to escape the water that had slowly filled the coffin. It had been a slow and silent death and even though Ylenia had known that it was the only way to get back, ironically, her survival instincts had kicked in at the last moment and she had panicked.  
Ylenia scolded herself and told herself that she was being ridiculous. She sat down, took a deep, calming breath and closed her eyes. Ylenia felt comfortable soaking in the warm water but she could feel that familiar feeling of uncontrollable panic getting closer and taking over her mind. She fought the feeling and forced herself to get entirely submerged because being afraid of water was something unheard of and unthinkable for a witch whose powers originated from that very element. 

Ylenia opened her eyes and stared at the dimly lit bathroom through water. She held her breath was long as she could and then returned to sit in the bathtub. She panted and slowly her breathing returned to normal. When it did, she felt like she was about to cry. Ylenia felt the tears building up inside her and this time she did not try to stop herself. She had not mourned the death of her parents yet or the death of her brother although about that she had very mixed feelings; was she supposed mourn for him? He took his own life and tried to kill Ylenia too! It was illogical but Ylenia missed him, she missed her family and for the first time since being poisoned she wondered if it had been a kinder faith to just let go. She knew that she wouldn’t have turned into a wraith because she was killed by an act of crime and those people were not punished by the oldest ancestors, only the ones who died cowardly or with deep rage in their hearts.

Ylenia sobbed silently and continued hugging her legs. The water got cold and the guestroom started to get less dark again. She did not know how long she had been in the bathtub and why she had stayed there the entire night but she had and suddenly there was a knock on her door. Ylenia recoiled from her thoughts when the maid entered the guestroom. She exclaimed in elvish when she noticed that the nightgown had not been worn at all and the bed was still neatly made. No one had slept in it.

The maid walked into the bathroom and saw Ylenia tying the belt of the dressing robe and when she looked into the bathtub she saw small blocks of ice floating around. Ylenia did not comment. She just looked away and started to brush her hair. When she did she noticed that she had snowflakes in her hair that sparkled in the sunlight whenever the light hit them. She was holding the hairbrush in her hand and suddenly it was glimmering as well. Ylenia dropped the hairbrush immediately as a reaction to this surprise and the ice melted as soon as it lost contact with Ylenia’s hand.

\- My lady? the maid asked and stared at Ylenia with a terrified look on her face. She had never seen anything like that and neither had Ylenia. She had heard stories about some old witches that had lived a long time ago. They had had the power to control the ice but she had never seen anyone with such powers. According to the folklore the witches had become less powerful as they had drifted further away from the ancestors. They had also forgotten their roots and therefore some of the powers had been denied from them. The power of controlling water had been one of these powers and Ylenia had a strange feeling that her death had awaken some of these old powers, but she did not know what it meant. Did it mean that she had changed completely? Was she the same Ylenia or was she just a shell that had been brought back with her spirit attached but had she brought something back as well? About one thing she was certain however and that was that she had to learn more about this before telling about it to anyone.

\- I will get the king. the maid said but Ylenia stepped in front of the door and prevented the maid from leaving the room by spreading her hands and grapping the doorframe on her both sides. The maid looked terrified when she saw Ylenia’s eyes changing from gray-blue color into the color of blue ice and the floor beneath her turned into ice that slowly spread around her. The ice was also creeping on the walls like a living vine.  
\- No! Ylenia stated firmly. The ice crept into the bathtub that was between her and the maid and the bathwater started to freeze over. The maid looked shocked and took a couple of steps back because the ice was reaching her. The maid bumped into a small table and almost toppled it. The vase that was on the table fell off the table and as it hit the floor, it shattered into small pieces. The sound terrified Ylenia because it was the same sound of fine glass breaking that she had heard when the glass had fallen off her hand.  
Ylenia stumbled backwards and the ice disappeared instantly when she fell on the floor. Her eyes were back as they had been before, grayish blue and there was no ice on her hair anymore. Ylenia looked confused and the maid came to help her up. Ylenia took her hand and got up but her head was spinning. She had no idea what had happened, sure she had assumed that something would changed, hell, her hair and eyes had changed and now this change worried her. What if she had brought something back with her and she couldn’t control it?

\- I need you to promise me that anything that happens in this room, it is my own private matter. Ylenia said with a firm but friendly tone. She did not want to make the maid more scared because that way she would surely go and tell the king. The maid stared at Ylenia with a puzzled look on her face and said  
\- But-  
\- I will learn to control this and I will tell the king when I know what it is. Ylenia spoke with a calm voice.  
\- I do not like this, my lady. the maid stated. She looked now very worried and not so much puzzled anymore.  
\- I can put a spell on you, believe me I can, but I would rather have you trust me and respect my request from your own freewill. Ylenia stated and looked deep into the eyes of the maid, who stayed completely silent.  
\- Can you do that for me? Ylenia asked. The maid shifted her gaze away from Ylenia’s eyes and thought about her options through for a moment. Ylenia repeated “can you?” and the maid answered  
\- Very well.  
\- Thank you. Ylenia said and smiled a little as she bowed her head. The maid helped her to get dressed and brushed her hair that was almost glowing in the sunlight that was pouring into the room from the large window. The maid took Ylenia’s silver circlet from the table and put in on her head as soon as she was done with her hair. When she was about to leave the room Ylenia said  
\- Not a word.

The maid bowed silently and walked out from the door. Ylenia hoped that the maid could be trusted because the last thing she needed was to explain to the king something that she did not understand even herself. She knew now that she had had black roots in her hair before because she had been just a witch, very far up in the family tree and her witch blood had been very far from “pure” because the witches had gotten children with the elves and even with humans although marriages between humans and witches had been despised because humans were mortal and their lives lasted for a half that even the people of the Northern Realm lived. If a witch of the royal bloodline married a lowly human, they lost their right to the throne even if he or she had been the eldest child of the ruling king or queen. Yes, also the queen had a right to rule the Northern Realm if her husband was not a witch or she did not have a brother. This meant that Ylenia was the rightful ruler of her people and now that she had been brought back from the death, she had been cleansed so the blood that ran in her veins now was the blood of her ancestors, the first witches and no one else. In a way she had been robbed from her parents and brought back as the daughter of the old mighty witches. Ylenia now knew things that she had never known before. She knew every northern spell there was and she had the power to control ice.

The only problem was that Ylenia couldn’t quite control it. As the days passed by she kept mostly in her room practicing self control because she did not want to hurt anyone accidentally. Ylenia learned that when she was scared or confused, irritated or angry she turned into that version of herself that terrified herself a little. Ylenia sometimes took long walks in the surrounding forest and played with the small spring streams that formed as the snow melted. The summer came and by that time she had learned to control her mind so well that she could even walk on water by turning the surface into ice. Ylenia however managed to get herself sick a couple of times as she kept falling into the pond when her concentration was interrupted and the ice disappeared.

The first time she had fallen into the pond had been terrifying. It had happened very suddenly when there had been a sound of a twig breaking nearby. Ylenia had sunken deep and she had lost the sense of direction completely as her cloak had gotten soaked and floated around her making it impossible to see any light from any direction. She had then managed to get back to the surface and pull herself up to the dry land after swimming to the shore. Ylenia had then sneaked back into the room that had now become her own private chamber and she had managed to change her clothes and tie her hair up before anyone had noticed anything.

But now it was summer and she mastered her new powers enough to keep them in control. The maid had kept her word and she had not told the king about the little bathroom incident. This was something that Ylenia was very grateful. She did not need the elves fear her and she did not want the Elf King to worry for her. Yes, Thranduil. It was one thing that had left completely unresolved because Ylenia’s attention had been so focused on herself and learning to control herself because she was aware of the real dangers of her skills.

And the matter that concerned Legolas, it was also unresolved as well. The elves, especially Thranduil as well as his son had kept their distance because they had thought that maybe Ylenia needed some time to adjust to her surroundings and they had been right. What Ylenia had needed was time but the reason was completely different than the Elf King had assumed. He had thought that Ylenia was battling with her feelings for his son, which was partially true but mostly no.

Ylenia had had just brief conversations with those two elves but she knew that she couldn’t keep them hanging like this anymore. Every time she bumped into Legolas, the atmosphere was awkward and every time she ran into Thranduil, he was very distant and it was clear that he was restricting himself. Ylenia reasoned that it was because he assumed that she had feelings for Legolas and for some reason Thranduil seemed like he had given up, almost like he had accepted his fate as the one who lost his chances.  
Ylenia had started to spend a lot of time in the library when she had found out that the elves had restored some of the old books of her people. She went through all the ancient documents as well as maps when one day in the autumn she sensed Legolas spying on her. Ylenia was just reading about the first witches, the ones whose direct descendant she now was when Legolas entered the library. He did not say anything but just stood behind a big bookshelf and followed her in secret. After a moment Ylenia closed the book and stood up. She walked to the bookshelf and leaned to it as she folded her arms and smiled a little at the elf prince.

\- My father has granted me a permission to court you. he said when he noticed Ylenia staring at him with a playful smirk on her face.  
\- He did what? Ylenia asked and her expression changed completely. The smile left her face and it was replaced with confusion. Her heart as well as her mind were both deeply shocked about this news and she did not know what to say. They both stayed silent for a while and when the silence got awkward, Legolas cleared his throat and continued with a somewhat nervous voice  
\- I would be honored if you joined me for a walk later today.  
\- Very well. Ylenia answered and unfolded her arms.  
\- I shall meet you after supper in the garden, by the fountain. Legolas said, bowed and left the library. Ylenia bowed as well and then walked to the table and leaned to it. She was surprised and slightly excited about the news but she was not completely sure if this was what she had wanted. What was Thranduil thinking? What was he planning?

Ylenia felt her heart bursting from happiness after she had finally realized what this meant! It meant that there was nothing to stop her and Legolas becoming happy together if that was what they both wanted. Ylenia left the library and skipped supper because she couldn’t eat. She walked into the garden to wait from the prince by the fountain as he had suggested. After a moment Legolas walked there and offered Ylenia his arm. She took it and they started walking slowly in the garden under the falling leafs.  
They kept walking but the atmosphere was awkward, reserved and the whole situation felt forced even. Legolas was silent and he seemed like he had been just doing his duty and Ylenia realized soon as well that she didn’t exactly know what she was doing either. She had been so excited about this opportunity but now that she was walking with Legolas, she felt that it was not what she really wanted and she could sense that it was not what Legolas wanted either.

\- So… Ylenia began and stopped.  
\- Yes, my lady? Legolas asked.  
\- You do not love me, do you? she asked, turned her head and looked deep into the bright blue eyes of the elf prince. He looked serious and then he smiled a little as he began  
\- My lady, I… admire you-  
\- But you do not love me. Ylenia stated. Her voice did not sound sad or offended. Her tone was quite neutral actually but it had a very warm, friendly and understanding feel to it.  
\- I believe that we will be happy together. Legolas stated and smiled, his smile however felt forced.  
\- But you do not love me. Ylenia repeated and shook her head as she chuckled a little. Legolas was silent and the polite smile disappeared from his face. Ylenia was right. The elf prince did not love Ylenia. There had been a time when his feelings could have developed into something much deeper but due to certain complications that had not happened. Now even when his father was allowing it and removing the obstacle he just didn’t feel the same anymore. Legolas looked sad and like there had been a terrible weight on his shoulders, crushing him. Ylenia asked “do you?” softly to which Legolas answered finally  
\- No, my lady.

\- Why are we here then? Ylenia asked and stepped a bit further away from Legolas. She couldn’t have this conversation if she was holding onto his arm, no, she had to see the face of the prince when they had this conversation; the conversation that could possibly change their lives for the rest of their lives. Legolas thought for a proper yet truthful answer for a moment and then began  
\- I believe that you love me, my lady, and-  
\- But I don’t! Ylenia exclaimed and spread her arms to add more pressure to her words. Her reaction surprised Legolas and it surprised Ylenia herself as well. Sure her heart had been almost bursting for this walk but then she had started to think about it and realized that she didn’t love Legolas anymore. It was easy to see that Legolas did not love her either and he was doing this for some unknown reason which however was not the right reason.  
\- But my father… Legolas began with a confused tone and then he stopped since he couldn’t really find words to continue.  
\- What? Ylenia asked and put her hand on Legolas’ arm. to show support and that he could tell her anything. Legolas sighed a little and smiled a little.  
\- Nothing, my lady. Shall we continue our walk? he asked. Ylenia removed her hand immediately because she was not pleased with the elf prince’s answer.

\- No. Legolas. Tell me. she said and folded her arms. Legolas sighed again and smiled a little. Ylenia had a strong aura and it was obvious that if she wanted something, she wouldn’t stop until she had that. This quality of her personality frightened Legolas a little but also made him admire her. She was stronger now than before but also darker, more treacherous and it was clearer than ever that Legolas was not the man for her. Even the elf prince could see this. But he had made a promise to his father and therefore he was now here, in the garden, walking with Ylenia.  
\- My father wants you to be happy. Legolas explained. He had seen his father mourning for Ylenia and he had seen him jealous for his own son but despite of this he wanted Ylenia to become happy and if Legolas was the one that could make her happy, he was willing to allow it even if it broke his heart. Legolas knew all this and he had not wanted to oppose his father.  
\- Your father wants me to be… Ylenia mumbled as she shifted her gaze away from Legolas. Then she focused it back to the prince and stared at him with a bedazzled look on her face.  
\- But how does that involve you, Legolas? she asked and chuckled a couple of times. Legolas kept looking at Ylenia and it was getting very clear that she did not understand what was going on. It meant that Ylenia had been serious when she had said that she did not love Legolas… but he had made a promise to his father…

\- The king feels that it is my duty to make you happy, my lady, and I am honored to do so-  
\- No… You deserve love, Legolas. Love! Ylenia said and took Legolas’ hands into hers. She squeezed them like he had squeezed hers a long time ago but it felt different now. Even Ylenia did not feel the way that she had. Sure she had been confused when she had arrived to Mirkwood, mostly because when she had died the time had stopped for her and everything that had happened before, felt basically like it happened just a couple of weeks ago. Besides when she had been in the shadow realm, it was almost like a dream so all this time that there was between the moment when she had loved Legolas and the moment when she had arrived to the Mirkwood palace the second time, it was all lost. It had confused Ylenia and her heart had basically picked up where it had left before…. despite her heart had broken and then glued back together by Thranduil. Legolas stared at Ylenia with widened eyes and said  
\- But-  
\- Love is not a duty. You do not love me and I do not love you. Ylenia stated and she was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to say those words. She was also surprised how light she felt after saying them.  
\- Do you love my father? Legolas asked with shaky voice.  
\- I don’t know. At this moment I do not love anyone! Ylenia exclaimed and laughed a little.  
\- My father will be heartbroken. Legolas mumbled and dropped his head. Ylenia squeezed his hands again and searched his eyes again.

\- Would he rather see me marrying his son? Come on, Legolas! she said and shook her head with a small, amused smile on her face. Legolas fixed his posture and cleared his throat. He reminded himself that he had given his word to his own father, the king and he couldn’t break it. He began  
\- My lady, I truly believe that we could be happy together and I believe my father believes this too-  
\- No. He is mistaken. Legolas… Ylenia said and shook her head as she sighed and rolled her eyes.  
\- You are a wonderful young man but you deserve more than… Ylenia said and held his hands tightly in hers as she finished her sentence with “this” which came out as a soft whisper that was filled with suppressed sorrow. Ylenia knew that love was not meant to feel so rational and lukewarm. No, what Legolas had for her and she had for Legolas was only friendship.  
\- What, my lady? Legolas asked because he did not quite understand what she was saying.  
\- An arrangement. Ylenia answered with a firm tone and let go Legolas’ hands. She turned away and continued walking in the garden. Legolas stayed standing still and thinking about the entire situation very carefully.

\- But I felt for you more… once. I could feel more for you again… with time! he shouted after Ylenia who was walking far already. He watched her stopping and turning. Then he ran to her with light steps.  
\- Just because your father wants that? Ylenia asked when Legolas was a little closer. Legolas stopped a few meters from Ylenia and bowed gracefully as he answered  
\- My father wants what best for this realm which is also my duty-  
\- I don’t understand the connection here! Ylenia exclaimed and groaned. Why everyone kept thinking that they knew what was the best for her? Her own brother had thought that she wanted to join him and their parents in death and now Thranduil was assuming that the best for her and the state was if Ylenia married his son!  
\- My father wants your happiness, above anything else. Legolas answered. There was a strong undertone of pride in his voice. He did not want to disappoint the king when he trusted the most precious thing in the hands of his son. Ylenia shook her head again and sighed.

\- My happiness isn’t your duty. she said and smiled a little. She was worried about Legolas and could sense that his duty, whatever it was now, was burdening on his shoulders and shadowing his mind. Legolas looked very puzzled and then asked  
\- What shall I tell my father then? He is expecting me to propose to you today-  
\- What! Ylenia exclaimed. She couldn’t believe her ears.  
\- Yes. He believes that you have been tormented by your heartbreak the entire spring as well as summer and he cannot tolerate it anymore. Legolas explained. He had seen his father so worried and to be honest, he had been worried as well. Only if they knew what had been going on with Ylenia! The reason why the elves had not found out about her new abilities was that she could move unnoticed if she wanted and she had always made sure that there had not been anyone to see her.

\- He is wrong. Tell him that he is wrong... and if he wishes to know the reasons behind my behavior, he is most welcome to ask me himself. Ylenia stated and started to laugh. Legolas was silent for a moment and the look on his face changed completely. He looked less stressed out and lighter.  
\- So you are… refusing my proposal? he asked, just to be sure.  
\- Yes! Ylenia laughed and felt like a dark shadow that had been following her had faded away.  
\- Very well. I shall take this news to my father but Ylenia… Legolas said and smiled playfully before finishing his sentence. Ylenia asked “yes?” and waited curiously when the elf prince was going to say.  
\- If my father gets angry, you’ll get to deal with him! he joked and offered his arm to Ylenia again. They walked slowly for a moment but the atmosphere was not tense or awkward anymore. They joked and laughed a lot as they kept strolling around the garden. Then Legolas had to get back to his duties but he promised Ylenia that he would clarify the situation for his father first. Ylenia thanked Legolas for a great walk and decided to eat late dinner after all. What either of them did not know was that Thranduil had seen them laughing together and assumed that Legolas had proposed. Legolas however had been summoned to the eastern border and he had not managed to talk with Thranduil at all.

Thranduil kept avoiding Ylenia because he assumed that she and his son were surely planning a wedding. No, he had not asked Legolas because he rather assumed things according to what he saw and he saw Legolas and Ylenia getting along famously, which was so just because they had managed to talk things trough and Legolas had even apologized for his actions of earlier. One autumn morning, after few weeks of Legolas’ presumed proposal Ylenia surprised Thranduil in the garden where he was having his morning walk. The sun was shining through the yellow leaves although many of the trees were stripped bare by the cold north wind that shook the forest daily. Ylenia had no idea why the king kept avoiding her and she decided to find him, ask him and get the situation sorted because in her opinion it was getting rather ridiculous. It didn’t make any sense to her because as far as she knew Legolas had sorted things up with his father and there was no reason for the Elf King to be hurt or heartbroken. Now finally the king was alone and by the look of his slow stroll in the gardens, for once he wasn’t in a hurry.

\- Good morning. Ylenia said when she jumped in front of the king from the bushes. She had been spying him a little and waiting for a good moment. Thranduil jumped a little which made Ylenia chuckle.  
\- Lady Ylenia! he exclaimed and let go his sword. He had not managed to draw it out but his hand was on the handle and one moment more he would have attacked his enemy, if there had been one. Ylenia was somewhat surprised that she could sneak on the king but it was one of her new abilities; she was able to mask her own presence so she could stay truly unseen, indistinguishable and unnoticed.  
\- Why is it that we live in the same palace and I never see you? Ylenia asked curiously and looked intensely at Thranduil. She was clearly monitoring her.  
\- I… have been busy. he stated and cleared his throat. Ylenia put her hands behind her back and continued walking side by side with the king. They were both silent for a moment and then suddenly Thranduil said  
\- I believe congratulations are in order.  
Ylenia chuckled a little and then she went completely silent. She had no idea what the king was talking about. Had the maid told him about Ylenia’s powers and how she had almost frozen her to death? Well, not really but it had been close… well, not really, but closer than normally… but then surely the king would have been knocking at Ylenia’s door sooner… unless the maid had told him after she had learned to control her powers… but it seemed very unlikely.

\- For what exactly? Ylenia asked with a surprised tone.  
\- The engagement. Thranduil said. He was trying to mask any bit of personal feelings that he had about the situation. He had wanted to do what was the best for Ylenia and he had seen her during the few weeks very happy around his son. This all proved what he had suspected all along; Ylenia still loved his son and his son had loved Ylenia secretly all this time.  
\- Oh? And… who am I marrying? Ylenia asked. Then she suddenly realized that this had to have something to do with the proposal that Legolas had presented a few weeks back. Apparently Legolas had not shared the news of Ylenia’s refusal with his father. Thranduil straightened his posture and answered  
\- My so-  
\- Legolas. he corrected himself after clearing his throat. Ylenia stopped and put her hand on the kings arm as a sign that she wanted him to stop as well.  
\- I am not marrying Legolas. she stated and looked at Thranduil with a astonished look on her face. It all made sense now; the way the king had been avoiding her and how he always seemed to hiding his emotions, well he always did but more than the usual.  
\- You are… not? he asked and turned to face her.  
\- No! Ylenia exclaimed.  
\- But-

\- And I do not appreciate you trying to decide what is best for me. she added with a firm tone. Thranduil cleared his throat and said  
\- But you and Legolas… love each other. I have seen you-  
\- No King Thranduil. I do not love Legolas and he doesn’t love me. Ylenia answered. The king did not comment, he just kept staring with Ylenia with a confused look on his face.  
\- I once did, I guess. It is hard to say now. Maybe I was just lonely and Legolas was there for me so I… held onto him… Imagined things… even though there was no real reason for that. she explained.  
Ylenia kept stopping between words and shifting her gaze elsewhere every once in a while as she talked. She had come to a conclusion that she had once loved Legolas, briefly, but then she had latched herself onto the idea of him. She had idolized Legolas and imagined him to be her savior and then gotten brutally disappointed when he had not lived up to her expectations. Had it been love? Yes, at some point, at the beginning of her imprisonment but it had turned into an unhealthy obsession pretty quickly… but it had kept her alive at the time…. and also pushed her to fade away. Ylenia understood now that her bitterness towards the elf prince was very unfair for him as well and now that she had let go of the heartbreak, they both felt lighter and they were able to be friends again.

\- Your son doesn’t love me. He never did. Ylenia said and removed her hand from the king’s arm.  
\- Who do you love? he asked with a shaky tone. Ylenia rolled her eyes and chuckled.  
\- No one… I… I think I need some time… and close friends. she answered. Thranduil nodded and they continued walking slowly in the garden. They talked about many things and the Elf King even laughed, which made Ylenia very happy. Thranduil was relieved that Ylenia was not going to marry his son but he was also a little disappointed to hear that Ylenia did not love anyone. The truth was that he had secretly hoped that Ylenia would turn Legolas’ proposal down because she was in love with someone else, the king, but apparently the lady was not in love with anyone and wanted only friendship. Thranduil decided at that moment that if close friendship was what made her happy, he would give that to her. Maybe… with time… things changed.

It was very strange how time just slipped away in the elven realm and even Ylenia lost the sense of it completely. It was winter and then it was summer, autumn and winter again. Suddenly it had been 21 years since she had returned to Mirkwood. Even the north wind had silenced at some point and Ylenia had forgotten her longing as well as her people who still struggled in the north. She was too busy with her new life so she managed to ignore the small voice that kept reminding her about her origins every autumn when the first snow fell and ice covered the ground. Ylenia mastered now her not-so-new abilities perfectly but she did not feel too comfortable with the idea of sharing the knowledge with the king or the prince.

Even though that time had slipped away very quickly, it had contained plenty of laughter and also some tears but for the first time Ylenia was quite happy. As the years had passed she had started to fall in love with the Elf King who had become her closest friend. It however made her a little sad that Thranduil saw her only in a friendly way nowadays and he had not tried to get close to her, not even once. They had private dinners together but never in the king’s private chamber and there was always a certain level of distance between them, almost like Thranduil was trying to avoid being physically close to her.

But Thranduil was always very considerate. He always dressed up well and minded his manners. It was almost like he had decided to be the best friend for Ylenia and had taken it as a personal challenge. He never wanted to hurt Ylenia and he wanted to be the one she could trust with anything and everything. And she had… the only thing she had not told him was she had returned from her watery grave changed and that she knew now all the secrets that there was to be known about the old magic of the eldest ancestors. Anyway, Thranduil wanted Ylenia to be safe and once he had even basically freaked out when he had invited Ylenia for a dinner and he had accidentally offered wine to Ylenia in a way that had resembled the way her brother had offered that fatal drink to her. 

There had been candles everywhere as well as flowers. Thranduil had worn a silver tunic, no crown and he had looked really great, relaxed but still very regal, like he always did. Ylenia had looked beautiful in her burgundy dress and with white flowers in her hair although she did not had had no ulterior motives concerning Thranduil at the time, however the Elf King had basically been rendered speechless when she had entered the dining hall. The dinner had been delicious, the mood was slightly stiff but had been was the first private dinner after Ylenia’s return to Mirkwood so it had been to be expected. The dinner had continued in with glasses of wine in the common sitting room where they had sat by the fireplace for a few hours just chatting about life in general.

\- Please sit down. Thranduil had said and pointed at a large armchair that was by a fireplace. The door to the garden had been open so there had been a calming sound of rain coming from outside and it had gotten mixed with the low humming-sound that had come from the fire. It had been the last days of autumn before the temperature had plunged below zero and everything that came down from the sky floated softly to the ground instead of falling heavily like it had that evening fallen.

Ylenia had sat down in the other armchair but she had been quite tense because she had not known what motives the king had had. Thranduil had noticed this and ordered the servant to bring some wine. After a moment the servant had brought a precious looking glass carafe and two glasses and put them on the small table that was between the armchairs. Thranduil had asked the servant to leave just as he had had been about to pour some wine into the two glasses. It was one thing that Thranduil did, he always wanted to serve Ylenia when they were alone. It was a sign of respect which had made Ylenia feel quite awkward at first but then she had gotten used to it… kind of. It had felt funny at the time and even now, after 21 years of friendship, it still felt a little bit odd that the king wanted to serve her.

The servant had left and Thranduil had poured the deep red wine into two precious looking crystal glasses. After filling the glasses and putting the carafe back on the table Thranduil had given the glass to Ylenia who had stared at it and her breathing had suddenly become shallow. She had gotten a vivid flashback of that day when her brother had betrayed her and therefore she had frozen completely still. Thranduil had noticed it and he had put his glass on the table that was between those two armchairs.  
\- What is wrong? the king asked. His voice had been concerned and genuinely caring and the look on his face was just as worried as his tone had been. Ylenia had snapped out from her thoughts and answered  
\- I am sorry… the last time I was offered wine like this…  
\- No, no need for an apology! Thranduil had exclaimed and knelt in front of her. He had kept monitoring the look on Ylenia’s face and taken the glass from her, put it on the table and taken her hands into his. Ylenia’s hands were had been shaking a little and she had looked as well as seemed shocked. The flashback that she had gotten had been so vivid and it had felt like she had been there all over again; raising a toast with her brother and soon twitching on the floor, fearing for her life and struggling to keep conscious. Then Ylenia had focused on her thoughts back on the king.

\- How inconsiderate of me… Please… Would you rather… the Elf King had said and stood up as he had intended to ask the servant to bring something else.  
\- No… no… I am the one who is apologizing. Really. I am sorry… Ylenia had mumbled and smiled a little.  
\- I have no desire to take your life… let me assure you. Thranduil had stated with a calm, reassuring tone which had made Ylenia calm, or calmer.  
\- I did not think that. Ylenia had answered and filled her lungs with the fresh autumn air.  
\- You should have seen me taking a bath the first time after… that… I was losing my mind… being submerged and all… Ylenia had said as she had tried to cheer the atmosphere a little. Then she had realized that she had basically asked Thranduil to imagine her in the bath and this notion had made her blush a bit.  
\- I mean… It is very uncommon for a witch to be afraid of water… Ylenia had explained as she had tried to un-say the things she had just said.  
\- Please sit down. Ylenia had asked because the king had looked so worried. Then the king had sat down and Ylenia had taken the glass and lifted it with a festive gesture.  
\- I am raising a toast so grab your glass, King Thranduil. Ylenia had said and as she had taken the glass on her lips, she had notice that the rim of the glass was frozen and the wine inside was as well. Thranduil however had not noticed anything.  
\- Please… It is Thranduil. No need for such formalities here. the king had said and smiled. He had looked at her with his bright blue-grayish eyes, clearly waiting her to make the toast and the evening had continued very pleasantly.

They had such dinners almost every other night and long walks in the gardens too. Time had passed and Thranduil and Ylenia had become great friends. Then Ylenia’s feelings had started to change and she noticed that after spending time with Thranduil her head was spinning, she felt the fascinating tingle in her stomach every time she was talking with the Elf King and she even found herself smiling even when she was alone. Ylenia kept thinking about the king almost all the time and with time she grew almost desperate because the king kept his distance and never even glanced at Ylenia with an improper way. Ylenia did not want the king to look at her like she was just a piece of meat or yet another lady that he wanted to conquer but she hoped that he would look at her the same way that he had looked at her when she had returned. Then he had had that small, very modest spark of desire in his gaze which had been lacking these 21 years completely.

Then Thranduil asked Ylenia for a dinner again. It was late spring and the birds were singing in the surrounding forest. It was raining softly, it had been actually raining the entire day but Ylenia did not mind. It was only good because she knew that the little piles of snow that were still decorating the most shadowy places in the Mirkwood forest would melt quickly. Ylenia did not miss ice and coldness anymore but she had learned to enjoy summer more than winter.

Thranduil was wearing his black tunic that glimmered in the soft candlelight. He had his silver crown on his head and for once Ylenia was wearing her circlet as well. Ylenia was feeling nervous because she had decided to confess her feelings for the king now. She was getting desperate and she had started to feel that she wouldn’t be able to take the friendship much longer. Every day Ylenia had gotten more anxious and more aware of the fact that maybe Thranduil would meet someone and she would lose her chances for good. Thranduil had been talking about some elf lady from Rivendell and it made Ylenia jealous because she couldn’t tell whether the lady was just a friend or if the king had his eye on her, and therefore Ylenia had to tell the king about her feelings, try at least.

The dinner was just as delicious as always, very light and it fitted the spring-mood very well. The king and the lady shared a lively conversation and after they had finished with the desert, Thranduil asked Ylenia to join him for a glass of wine in his private chamber. Ylenia thanked for the invitation and accepted it. Then Thranduil asked the servant to take one carafe of wine into his private sitting room and light the fireplace in case it was not already burning.

Thranduil stood up and helped Ylenia with her chair. He always did that when they were alone and Ylenia appreciated the gesture. He offered her his arm and they walked slowly into the part of the palace where Ylenia had never been before. The guard pushed the door open to the Elf King’s private chamber and Thranduil motioned Ylenia to enter the room first. She walked in followed by the king and looked around curiously, or rather nervously.  
Thranduil gestured Ylenia to sit down and enjoy the warmness of the fire. He served her wine and then sat next to her, to the other armchair.  
\- Alright, Thranduil… a toast… for tonight and all the nights like this… that are… yet to come. Ylenia spoke with a nervous tone. She had decided to speak out tonight but now that she was sitting here with him, by the king’s private fireplace, the words seemed to get stuck into her throat and her thoughts were getting impossible to put into words which were getting more difficult to be arranged into sentences. The Elf King raised his glass and smiled.  
\- To you, my lady. he added in the most gracious way possible. Ylenia started to laugh nervously and mumbled  
\- That is so unfair… I was making a toast… such a stupid toast… Oh my…

\- Relax… Thranduil said and smiled before raising the glass on his lips again. Oh yes… his lips. Ylenia had noticed them and the way they moved when he talked with such precision. And his eyes; always so observing, noticing the slightest changes in her expression but his eyes had lately been watching her with such tenderness and respect… and warmth, although Ylenia knew that it was only friendship that the king was offering her, hell she had asked for friendship and now she was getting it. The classic case of “be careful what you wish for”. But did the king know that she noticed these things about him? Had he noticed how she sometimes stumbled in her words when she spoke with him or when she wondered aimlessly the halls of the palace just to accidently run into him. It had been 21 years since Ylenia had come back. Did the king know how her heart…

\- Is the wine to your liking? Thranduil asked suddenly because Ylenia seemed to be mentally faraway.  
\- Yes. Thank you. Ylenia answered immediately and sipped a small amount.  
\- I must address that you seem nervous. Is it something I’ve done? Do I make you feel uncomfortable? Thranduil asked with a very concerned tone.  
\- No… I just… I am sorry… Ylenia mumbled and gathered all her courage before continuing further.  
\- I need to ask… Do you think me as… your friend? she asked with a nervous tone.  
\- Yes… of course. the Elf King answered. Ylenia turned her head and stared at the flames. It was getting harder to keep a smile on her face. “A friend” she repeated with a barely audible voice and emptied her glass with one gulp.  
\- Are you alright, my lady? Thranduil asked.  
\- Yes… of course. she said and fought those tears of disappointment building behind her exterior. She closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled slowly.

\- Clearly something is wrong. he said and in his tone there was a hint of frustration.  
\- No-uhm… I just-uhm… Ylenia said and stood up. It was getting obvious that she could not keep her emotions in check anymore and therefore Ylenia had to take some distance to the king. She walked to the door that led into the garden. The warmth of the fire changed into the chilliness of the rainy weather. Then the first tear escaped and her breathing became shallow and erratic although she tried to fight it with all her willpower. Then Ylenia heard the king’s footsteps getting closer as he walked behind her. Ylenia bit her lip and casually wiped the stray tear away.  
\- How may I offer my support if I do not know what is wrong? Thranduil asked and yes, he definitely sounded frustrated. Dealing with frustration was something that he had to work on. His mood changed sometimes from good to extremely annoyed in a blink of an eye. This time he managed to keep his temper because he had a pretty good guess about the matter.  
\- There is nothing you can do, my lord… Ylenia replied and turned to face him with a fake smile on her face.

\- Everything is fine. she continued. Thranduil knew that she was lying. He walked closer leaving only a small distance between them. Then he placed his hands on her cheeks and pressed a soft kiss on the corner of her eye where there was a small trace of a fallen tear.  
\- You are afraid that it is only my friendship that I am offering. Thranduil said and gently guided her face to look up at him directly. Ylenia felt ashamed that her emotions and thoughts had been so easily exposed even though she had decided to confess her feelings to the king but doing it and thinking about it were two completely different things. During those 21 years the Elf King had indeed become an important person in her life and although things had never taken any more intimate turn than sometimes sharing a long silence or him offering his arm when walking in the gardens she had assumed or hoped that maybe… maybe he felt the same butterflies as she did. 

Ylenia closed her eyes and tried to keep the tears from falling, the situation was awkward and absurd as it was and therefore it did not require any tears to add the embarrassment. It was almost like a childish belief that when she closed her eyes and did not see him, he did not see her either. Suddenly she felt his lips on hers, just softly pressed against them.  
\- Do not be afraid… since I have no intention to hurt you but all the intentions in the world to provide you a home in my arms. Thranduil spoke softly against her mouth, sometimes softly kissing her between the words. Ylenia swallowed her tears and leaned closer as she felt his hand leaving her cheek and tangling softly her hair and the other hand slid behind her back pulling her closer. He kissed her gently at first but slowly the kiss grew hungrier and more possessive but still it remained graceful and innocent.  
\- You are shivering, my love… Let’s get you warm. the Elf King said as his lips ghosted on hers. Ylenia was indeed shivering. He walked her back to the armchair, poured her another glass of the sweet wine and then sat down himself after making sure that Ylenia was sitting comfortably and putting his cloak on her shoulders. After a moment and that second glass of wine Ylenia found herself dozing off as she listened to his deep, soft voice when he told her stories about the elves. She sometimes answered with a relaxed chuckle or a sigh.

\- I think it is time to get you to bed. Thranduil stated and lifted Ylenia up from the chair. Ylenia leaned to his chest and mumbled something about being able to walk which made him chuckle. He carried her into her chambers but when the door slammed shut she recoiled and insisted on walking. He put her down to stand on the floor with her own two feet but did not let go, neither did she. The king helped Ylenia to lay down on the bed, tucked her in and leaned down to kiss her goodnight but Ylenia was too sleepy to kiss him back and all she could do was to smile a little.  
\- I will see you tomorrow. Thranduil whispered and left the room after making sure that Ylenia had fallen asleep peacefully and that she was warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Rebellrocket 
> 
> If you're still reading this... I hope you liked this chapter :)


	8. Morning after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait.  
> The story continues :)
> 
> Even though Ylenia is happy for the turn of events, her feelings have some bits of confusion and hesitation...

Ylenia replayed the kiss over and over in her dreams that night. It had been an emotional rollercoaster where she had been taken from misunderstanding the kings feelings to be only friendly in nature to the realization that the case was not indeed so. The kings feelings were far deeper than she had ever dared to imagine and for that she was very relieved. Being the kings friend had been wonderful but as time had passed, it had become challenging to differentiate the friendly feelings from attraction and affection and as the years had slipped away Ylenia’s feelings had started to torment her, almost at least. She had become desperate and her behavior had been ridiculous time to time as she had tried to arrange moments when she could have accidentally run into the Elf King.

Ylenia had been painfully aware of the ridiculousness of her own actions and she had been scolding herself countless of times for it. She was supposed to be the mighty witch of the North who did not get emotionally tangled with such games and schemes. But she had and she had tried to make her feelings known with subtle gestures like smiles and long looks but Thranduil had not understood the deeper meaning behind them, no, he had taken them as nothing more than just a sign of friendship.

What Ylenia did not know was that Thranduil had been in love with her from the moment she had come back and even before it he had missed her very much. It was actually impossible to say when exactly his feelings had changed from attraction to love and he didn’t know the answer even himself. Thranduil had seen her smiling at him many times and he had hoped that the smile would mean something else but the truth was that he had never dared to even suspect it. He had just assumed that all the accidental meetings in the library, in the garden or even in the corridors were just accidental and he would have never dared to admit to Ylenia that those random meetings had brought him so much joy and had basically lightened up his days.

But then, for whatever reason, Ylenia had almost broken down in front of him and finally the king had understood that her feelings for him were so much deeper than he had ever hoped. Thranduil had not almost believed his eyes and ears. He had taken a few deep breaths before walking to her and cupping her face. The moment had almost made his heart stop as all the suppressed emotions and hopes had started to get unlocked. However the Elf King had wanted to remain graceful and be absolutely certain about Ylenia’s feelings before kissing her and exposing his heart to a possible injury in case he had misunderstood something.

Thranduil was unable to sleep. After tucking Ylenia in, watching her sleep for a moment and staying behind her door for a few minutes making sure that she was sleeping calmly, the king had retired to his chamber and taken a long bath. He had tried to think about everything else, the matters of the state and so on, but his thoughts had constantly shifted to Ylenia and the memory of her mumbling something in her sleep just before Thranduil had left the room. It was the most precious and adorable sight that he had seen since Legolas was born and he had wanted to memorize every detail before leaving the room.

The king was worried that Ylenia would change her mind about building a life, a future in Mirkwood because she was so young after all and her spirit was restless, it was always seeking for new excitements beyond the horizon, unlike the elves whose spirits were calm and settled. This made the elf cautious and a little troubled. What if Ylenia decided to leave one day? There was nothing concrete to keep her in Mirkwood and he had heard stories that the northern witches were lured by the northern wind that was constantly calling them to another adventures. The fear of losing her was the reason why Thranduil wanted to memorize the moment with every detail, mostly because it was the first moment for a very long time that he was sincerely happy. If anything should happen, it, that one evening when he had kissed her and tucked her in her bed, would be the memory that he would replay in his mind during the lonely days as well as the lonely nights that would most certainly follow if Ylenia moved on one day. Thranduil knew that even that small moment of joy and sincere happiness was the thing that would give him strength if Ylenia ever decided to leave.

If only things were that simple. Thranduil knew very well that losing Ylenia now would break his heart for sure. He had been hiding his feelings for such a long time, although roughly twenty years was not a long time from his perspective, but before that he had missed her for over eighty years and his days had been filled with fear and grief; fear that Ylenia would never return and grief of facing the endless, immortal life alone. But now Ylenia was sleeping peacefully in Mirkwood, basically under the same roof than Thranduil and the thought made the kings head spin. 

He had big dreams and plans of all the places where he would love to take Ylenia although the northern witch had gotten to know the surroundings of the palace pretty well during those twenty one years that she had spent in Mirkwood as Thranduils friend. But despite of all her explorations in the surrounding areas, the Elf King wanted to show Ylenia all his favorite places. He wanted to see the look on her face and share the places where he escaped the worries and responsibilities of the realm. He wanted to share his secret hideouts with her. All those places where he felt safe, relaxed and free from all the worries, expectations as well as fears and all these thoughts made it impossible for Thranduil to sleep that night.

The Elf King crawled into his large bed and lay down on his soft pillows and bed sheets. The room got darker slowly as the candles burned out one by one. He stared at the ceiling, all the shadows seemed to dance as the flames flickered just the moment before they went out and the room was filled with silent darkness. This time the darkness was not gloomy or cold but soft and warm. Thranduil smiled and chuckled barely audibly. He made a conscious decision to allow himself to be happy, it had been such a long time after all. He also decided to ignore his worries and doubts about the restless nature of the northern witches. It was a thing, a characteristic in Ylenia’s personality that he did not want to think about. Ylenia was now there in Mirkwood and if she ever made her mind up about leaving, Thranduil would try to convince her to stay and if it did not work, he would do his best to understand her choices. The elf however knew that if that situation ever came, it wouldn’t be that easy. Letting go never was.

Ylenia woke up after sleeping uncommonly well for an uncommonly long time. She of course had slept well in Mirkwood palace even before but now she had had wonderful dreams that had not been mere dreams; she had been dreaming about things that had actually happened and it made her particularly happy. When she woke up she immediately realized that soon she would see Thranduil, if she was lucky enough the king would join her for breakfast, but even if he didn’t, she knew that there were no obstacles anymore and since they both were immortal beings, it meant that the time was not going to run out for either one and therefore it really did not matter if she saw the king today or tomorrow… but of course Ylenia hoped that she would get a chance to talk with him, preferably in private, as soon as possible, but if not, it was not the end of the world.

The maid knocked the door and entered even though Ylenia did not answer to her knock. Ylenia just rolled on her side, wrapped her arms around a big, soft pillow and squeezed it tightly. Despite of her excitement for seeing the king again was very great, Ylenia was still tired and did not want to leave the bed that was so pleasantly cool. The sheets felt silky against her skin which made her think that she had never felt so good, not even when she had been in her own bed… a long, long time ago when she had been young and foolish. Those days felt like a distant dream now and Mirkwood felt more like a home that Forochel had ever felt.

The maid walked closer with soft steps and said that the breakfast was soon going to be served and the king was expecting, or more like hoping, that Ylenia would join him in the great dining hall. Ylenia covered herself entirely with the blanket and mumbled that she was not quite ready to wake up yet. The thing was that the more she thought about her life and especially her young years in the Northern Realm, the more she understood that there was some unfinished business waiting for her in the north.

Ylenia had ignored the northern wind for a long time and even though she had now learned to love sunshine and warmth more than ice and winter, although she had never loved the harsh life of the north as much as her people, she could hear the wind speaking to her now. Maybe it was the ancestors, the great old witches talking to her subconscious, reminding her about her roots. Ylenia however made a conscious decision to ignore them for now because she had finally found love and nothing felt more important. But the feeling was there. It was like a seed of weed that you cannot get rid of once it has grown its roots to the garden.

\- It is almost midday. the maid said with frustrated tone as she went through the closet that was hosting all Ylenias dresses. The notion of time made Ylenia groan and she sat up on the edge of her bed very reluctantly.  
\- My lady, the king will be very displeased if you do not join him for breakfast. the maid continued.  
\- Displeased? Ylenia chuckled and rolled her eyes.  
\- Surely not! she exclaimed when the maid gave her a disapproving look. The maid said “please, my lady” with a firm yet graceful tone and Ylenia had no other choice than to get up and start the day. She mumbled “fine” and walked into the bathroom, washed her face and after conjuring the strong, beautiful colors around her eyes, she joined the maid at the closet.  
\- What would you like to wear today? the maid asked. Her tone was cheerful and it annoyed Ylenia a little. Ylenia closed her eyes and extended her arm to the dresses but instead of selecting the one that she was touching, she moved her hand to the right and then to the left and back to the right.  
\- This one. Ylenia said and picked randomly the dress that she was currently feeling with her fingers. It was a beautiful gown, just like any other elven gown, but this one was exceptionally beautiful in a very simple way.  
\- Very well. the maid said and took the dress out from the closet. 

She helped Ylenia to get dressed in it and complimented how the pink that had a cold silver tone made Ylenia’s hair look shinier than usually and how it complimented her skin tone. Ylenia stared at herself in the mirror and breathed in slowly as the maid brushed her hair with great care. The neckline of the dress was quite generous but not too open although it revealed her shoulders as well as half of her back. The hem of the dress was made of light fabric that flowed in wind and moved beautifully as Ylenia walked.

Finally the maid was ready with the hair and Ylenia was escorted to the dining hall. On her way she ran into Legolas who had been already practicing his archery skills in the forest. The young elf was on particularly good mood which made Ylenia very curious. Sure Legolas’ heart as well as his spirit was lighter than his fathers but now he was more cheerful than usually. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Thranduil was most likely having a good morning or maybe Legolas had other, private reasons to be happy. Yes, it was possible that Legolas had met someone which was a thought that Ylenia had a little mixed feelings about. The prince was Ylenia’s dear friend and whatever there had been between them, had been discussed and it was clear for both of them that there were no deeper feelings anymore, on either side, but still the idea of Legolas meeting someone else felt weird and undesirable for Ylenia. It made no sense because Ylenia was in love with the king herself but the truth was that she had been thinking about it, the prince's marriage proposal, many times during the years in Mirkwood when she had been secretly in love with the king and almost completely sure that the king did not share her feelings. 

Yes, during the cold, lonely winter nights Ylenia had given in and thought “what if”. What if she had accepted Legolas’ proposal, as unromantic as it had been and even though the reasons to get married would have been completely wrong from both sides, but what if? Ylenia had returned to think about that day a few times and she had imagined her life as the wife of the prince when she had felt the loneliest. She had never talked about this to anyone and she had decided never to say anything but now that Legolas was looking so cheerful and happy, Ylenia could not help but to feel jealous a little.

\- You are up late! Legolas exclaimed as he walked to Ylenia. He stopped and bowed gracefully as a greeting.  
\- And you are uncommonly cheerful. Ylenia answered and bowed her head as well.  
\- Come on, tell me… What is it? Ylenia asked with a curious smile on her face although she was not sure if she really wanted to hear his answer.  
\- Is it so obvious, my lady? Legolas asked and smiled in the most adorable way. Ylenia couldn’t help but think that it was the smile that would have greeted her every morning if she had accepted his proposal when he was offering her the marriage. “Yes” Ylenia answered and hid her nervousness.  
\- I got a new bow from my father. Legolas answered finally and showed Ylenia a bow that had beautiful engravings decorating the wooden parts.  
\- Oh, a… bow. Ylenia commented and smiled widely. She could not help feeling relieved although she couldn’t understand why she had felt jealous all of a sudden. Maybe Ylenia was worried that if Legolas met someone, she would lose a friend or maybe it meant that the book that was already closed, would be then closed for good. Legolas noticed that Ylenia was relieved about something but he decided not to ask. Maybe changing the subject was the better course of action.

\- My father seemed very happy this morning. Care to explain? the prince asked with a curious tone. Ylenia blushed a little and a tingly feeling spread all over her body like a wave of warm water.  
\- How should I know? I just woke up. Ylenia answered and tried to hide the grin that was trying to take control of her face. Looking at Legolas’ curious expression did not help at all so she decided to shift her gaze elsewhere, to the curtains that were dancing in the soft breeze coming from the garden.  
\- I haven’t seen the king this morning at all… There is no way I would know anything. she mumbled nervously because she did not quite know what her status was now; was she courting the king officially or was it a secret that she was supposed to keep… for now at least.  
\- Maybe last night happened something what would give a reason for this. Legolas continued with a smirk on his face. “Perhaps” Ylenia commented and smiled slightly.

\- But… It is far too early to make any assumptions. she continued and shifted her gaze back to the prince.  
\- Surely you know that the king is in love with you. Legolas stated with a slightly surprised and maybe even a little worried look on his face. Ylenia smiled a little. It was not in her nature to make assumptions based on so little evidence. Sure they had shared a kiss and the king had told her that he wanted to offer her a home in his arms, all very beautiful things to hear, but Ylenia did not want to jump into any conclusions. Not yet at least. She wanted to take things slowly just to avoid misunderstandings and future conflicts. Legolas noticed the hesitation in Ylenia’s eyes and decided to give her a little bit reassurance about his fathers feelings.  
\- When you were away for over eighty years and my father had to bury you in the sea… 

Legolas began with a soft voice and then paused for a moment as he processed the memory of his father grieving and trying to hide it. When Legolas’ mother had died, Thranduil had surely grieved just as much but the prince had been too small to understand any of it.  
\- It almost broke him although he did not want anyone to see it. These past 21 years he has been happier than I’ve ever seen him before. Legolas continued as he kept monitoring the expression on Ylenias face.  
\- And I must say that you look happy as well. he added after a small silent moment.  
\- Yes… I am happy! Ylenia exclaimed and smiled widely. It however was quite obvious that there was something troubling her mind.  
\- I wish this to be a start of something… great and wonderful. she continued and sighed as she walked to the door that led to the garden. She stared silently into the far distance and added  
\- However I have gone through so much in my life… Therefore I’ve learned to… uhm… to not to take things for granted. 

\- Life itself for example. Ylenia stated as she turned to face Legolas with an expression that was a mixture of joyful and sad. It was clear that Ylenia felt very deeply, which was something that Legolas did not quite understand; elves after all were very emotionally stable and well-balanced. They did not drift from the deepest lows of despair to the highest of joy like Ylenia sometimes seemed to do. Legolas did not think that she was emotionally unstable but just… different. Besides, it was true what Ylenia said, she had gone through a lot during her short, from the elven perspective, life.  
\- Yes, of course. I will let you to attend my father now. I know he is eager to see you. Legolas answered and bowed as the sign of goodbye.  
\- Good day to you Legolas. Ylenia answered and bowed as well.

Legolas was right and Ylenia had to admit it even if she did not have plenty of evidence to go by. Thranduil was in love with her and it was cruel that she was even hesitating. She had hoped this day to come for such a long time that now that it was here, she was not sure if she dared to believe it to be real. She felt wonderful and strangely miserable at the same time; a weird mixture of different feelings filled her mind as she walked towards the dining hall. The guards greeted Ylenia and opened the door for her. She bowed as a greeting and entered the room where the king was waiting for her.

Thranduil looked magnificent like always. He was wearing a long silver robe and a simple silver crown on his head. He was looking out from the large windows but turned immediately to look at Ylenia when he heard that the door was opening. The sight made him gasp a little as he stared the gorgeous lady entering the dining hall and walking slowly closer. Ylenia was smiling which made Thranduil smile as well. He took a couple of large yet graceful steps closer and reached to take Ylenias hand. He took it, lifted it on his lips and bowed surprisingly deep as he pressed a soft kiss on her knuckles. The gesture made Ylenia blush a little and the hesitation melted from her mind.

\- Good morning. Ylenia said as soon as Thranduil had returned to stand straight.  
\- My lady. the king said and helped Ylenia to sit by the table and then sat down himself to the end of the table where he always sat. Ylenia was sitting on his right side where she always sat, even during official dinners and great celebrations. Legolas’ place was on the kings left side, opposite from Ylenia.  
\- Thank you. Ylenia sighed. The atmosphere was a little stiff, on the verge of being awkward, as the servant started bringing the warm breakfast foods such as toast and warm tea. Thranduil ordered the servants as well as the guards to leave the room and served Ylenia himself, like he always did when they were dining together in private.  
\- Legolas told me that you have been on a good mood this morning. Ylenia commented casually.  
\- Did you see Legolas already? the king asked curiously.  
\- Yes. He showed me his new bow. Ylenia answered and took a bite of an apple.

\- I suppose he liked the bow then. Very good. He was still using the bow that was made in Lothlorien but I thought that since he is the prince of Mirkwood, the head of the guard, he needs a bow that has been made here. Thranduil mumbled as he made a sandwich for himself.  
\- I suppose. Ylenia commented. The awkward atmosphere was bothering her a little and she was unable point out the reason why the atmosphere was not as relaxed as it had been before the previous night. Maybe it was the fact that changing ones attitude towards the other was more difficult than either of them had thought. Ylenia and Thranduil had been friends for over twenty years and suddenly things were different and therefore Ylenia did not know what she was expected to say or do.  
\- One cannot defend ones home with a bow that has been made somewhere else. We do also have very skilled handicraftsmen. Thranduil commented after a moment of silence.  
\- I… did not know that the Mirkwood borders still need guarding. Ylenia chuckled a little nervously. This breakfast was everything that she had hoped for but it was nothing like she had imagined it to be.  
\- Yes, always. Thranduil answered immediately. He however glanced at Ylenia whose face had gone from cheerful to serious and she was clearly lost for words. Thranduil put his sandwich on the plate and placed his hand on Ylenias after taking a deep, reassuring breath. Ylenia sighed relieved as she felt the kings strong, warm hand on hers.

\- No need to worry, my lady. Your home is quite safe. Thranduil said with a graceful smile on his face. Ylenia turned her head to look at the king and smiled when she felt his affection surrounding her.  
\- I would love to show you my favorite spot in the forest. the king said and squeezed Ylenias hand. She smiled a little wider and concentrated on looking deep into the bright blue eyes of the king. She felt like she was drowning in them and unable to comment. Therefore Thranduil continued after a moment  
\- I think… We need to escape the palace for a day. Besides it is a beautiful weather-  
\- Yes! Ylenia answered and chuckled a little when she realized that she had sounded maybe a little bit too eager for the likes of the elves. The last thing that she wanted to do was to make herself look stupid or unladylike.  
\- I mean… I agree. she corrected herself and watched as the look on Thranduil’s face changed from insecure to relieved and happy. Yes, whatever hesitation Ylenia had had earlier, it was now gone. Slowly the atmosphere turned more relaxed and there was even plenty of laughter every once in a while. When the breakfast was over Thranduil called the guard to prepare his elk for him and a horse for the lady and ordered a servant to get a picnic basket ready because Ylenia and the king were going to miss the dinner. After this Thranduil walked Ylenia back to her chamber to change into something warmer and less fancy.

When Thranduil and Ylenia got to the door of her chamber, Ylenia did not go in immediately. Instead of opening the door she leaned against it and smiled shyly at the tall elf. Thranduil did not say anything. He just stepped a little bit closer and placed his hands on her bare shoulders. Ylenias skin was cool and Thranduils fingers felt pleasantly warm against it as the elf kept brushing her shoulders with his fingertips. He was standing so close that if they had exhaled deeply at the same time, their chests would have touched for sure.

Ylenia raised her head to meet Thranduils gaze and she noticed that even though she had replayed the kiss a million times in her mind during the night, in her dreams, she was equally nervous that she had been before the first kiss. She felt Thranduil moving his hands on her neck and all the way on her cheeks slowly as he kept his caresses featherlike and modest at all times. Ylenia smiled a little as the king leaned closer and finally, after staring into her eyes for a long time, closed her eyes and felt his warm lips on hers.

The kings lips did not move at first, maybe because he could feel Ylenia shivering from nervousness a little or maybe he just wanted to memorize the moment. Then Ylenia encouraged her mind and opened her mouth a little and with that Thranduil took her lower lip between his lips and nibbled it gently a couple of times. “You look gorgeous this morning” he mumbled against her lips after he had parted his lips from hers and he could feel a wide smile spreading on Ylenias lips immediately. Feeling her smile made the king smile as well and instead of kissing her again, he pressed his forehead against hers and kept close breathing in her presence.

But Thranduil couldn’t let Ylenia go without kissing her again. He moved his other hand from her cheek and placed it on her waist. From waist he slid it behind her back and pressed her closer to him. Ylenia chuckled a little as such bold move from the kings part surprised her a little but after recovering from the small shock she placed her hand on his shoulder and wrapped the other one around him. This time Thranduil chuckled a little bit and then sought Ylenias lips again. He pressed his lips firmly against hers and started to explore them very slowly. Ylenia followed his lead and explored the lips of the king with new kind of confidence. 

Thranduil mapped and studied Ylenias lips gently with such adoration that made Ylenias head spin. He kept his caresses modest and innocent at all times even though his actions grew more possessive and intense. The king held Ylenia close, drowning her into warmth and feeling of being cherished. The breathing turned into sharp, short gasps and letting go, even for taking a short breath, felt physically painful. “Never leave me” Ylenia whispered as Thranduil parted his lips from hers. “Never” the king answered and pressed one soft kiss on her lips. He stepped a few small steps backwards and watched the lady disappearing into her chamber. When the door closed, the king leaned to it, after making sure that no one was seeing it of course, and smiled widely as he stared at the ceiling. Yes, he was in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Milady_Readsalot as a thank-you for your comment. Much appreciated!
> 
> I hope you like it :)


	9. Secrets and storms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Ylenia and Thranduil go out... into the forest and she tells him her big secret. Will he love her despite the fact that she is not exactly the person he thinks she is or will he see her as a danger to his realm?

Ylenia closed the door and leaned to it with her back. She started to laugh because for the first time in her life she was completely happy. Sure she had been happy before but compared to the feeling that she was having right now, there was nothing that would have come even close and therefore it was difficult to find anything to compare the current feeling with. If she had ever before thought that "this is the first time I am truly happy" then now this was better than anything that had ever been. This moment actually gave a whole new definition to "completely happy". Her life had always been somewhat uncertain and especially after she had ran away from home her life had been filled of loneliness and even anger. Yes, Ylenia had been very angry in the beginning but then she had grown up because she had had to. Her survival had depended on her capability of adapting and keeping a low profile although in the beginning she had wanted to get a reputation for herself. Her goal had been to create a reputation so fierce that the elves would not even dare to touch her, even if she had gone knocking on the king’s door.

Then Ylenia had seen a lot of death and destruction around her which had been almost too much to take and a couple of times she had been seriously considering either returning home or going straight to Mirkwood because she had known that it was the destination where she would have been sent anyway. Ylenia had been captured by the orcs who would have taken her to the Witch King of Angmar, to be recruited or forced to join Sauron in his attempt to rule all Middle Earth and enslave the free people who dared to oppose him.

But Ylenia had escaped and after that she had realized that it was far too dangerous to be a witch in the darkening Middle Earth and therefore she had found a place to live in the Laketown until it had been destroyed by the dragon, Smaug. Ylenia had lost everything that day, just like everyone else who had escaped the fires that night. She had witnessed the battle and even fought alongside Thranduil but he had not known it. In his eyes she had been just one of the petty mortals who meant nothing to him. The Elf King had been busy with his quarrels with the dwarfs, blinded by his greed and his grief and therefore he had not recognized her when he had been staring at her directly.

Ylenia of course had presented herself plainly when she was among the common folk and covered her unusual hair color with a hood of her cloak. It had not been a surprise that the king had been able to stare into her eyes without ever even considering the possibility that he was staring into the eyes of the woman that he was supposed to marry. The king had been disgusted by the dirt in her clothes and the bruises on her face and he had turned his head away without saying a word. Soon after the battle Ylenia had been running away from the orcs, sneaked into the realm of Mirkwood and found the cottage where she had been living in solitude for over forty years. Thinking about her past and recalling all the events made Ylenia always a little bit melancholic and the more she kept thinking about the past adventures, the more-

Ylenia recoiled from her thoughts when there was a maid knocking on her door. She took a few long strides away from the door and then invited the maid in. The maid had come to help her to change her clothes which was something that she was not completely gotten used to, even though she had been living in the Mirkwood palace for many years. It was still somewhat strange to have all the servants and guars constantly around her, as well as the dignitaries who lived in the palace. It made Ylenia sometimes miss the peace and quiet that she had shared with the Mirkwood forest during her stay in that small cottage.

The maid braided Ylenia’s hair so it would not get too tangled in the wind. She was quite tired of untangling the hair of the witch which behaved in such stubborn way, unlike the hair of the elves that never got tangled or even frizzy. Then the maid walked to the cabined that hosted most of Ylenia’s dresses. The maid went them through with a thoughtful look on her face. She was looking for something beautiful yet practical, something to dazzle the king but still allowing Ylenia to ride the horse and walk in the Mirkwood forest which was known to be rather hard terrain for someone who was not an elf.  
\- Just pants. Ylenia sighed and folded her arms. The maid turned her head and looked at her with a shocked look on her face. Ylenia was going out with the king… the King himself and she wanted to wear… pants? The maid had no other option than to object  
\- But… my lady-  
\- Yes, the dark pants, black leather boots, a tunic and the long overcoat. Ylenia stated with a firm tone.  
\- Let me remind you in the most respectful and gracious way that you are going out with the king. the maid said with a slightly offended tone. Before Ylenia was able to respond anything, she continued  
\- You never know whom you’ll meet and then it would be most embarrassing for you, but also for the king to be seen with someone who is not properly dressed.  
\- To meet who exactly? Ylenia exclaimed and walked away from the maid, who did not answer.  
\- Since when the borders of Mirkwood have been so poorly protected that the king would just accidently meet someone important? Besides, we are going out. I need clothes for riding and walking in the woods. Ylenia continued and turned to face the maid again who jumped a little when she saw Ylenia’s eyes glowing like ice and there were some ice flowers in her hair.

\- My-my-lady, I did not mean to upset you. the maid said and bowed her head deep.  
\- Let’s assume that I will wear a dress… Ylenia began. The maid raised her head and sighed relieved.  
\- Shall I blame you when I will fall on my face in front of the king? Ylenia added with a tone that chilled the maid’s core. She shook her head and after Ylenia had nodded, she took the clothes that Ylenia had requested out from the closet. Ylenia changed her dress into the plain clothes and fastened her sword on her hips. Ylenia walked to the maid who was holding a beautiful blue overcoat that had impressive black embroideries and a hem that flowed beautifully and reached the midpoint of her calf. The coat was open from the hips down which ensured the easy movements even in the rough terrain.  
\- You look… the maid said and paused for a moment as she was trying to find the right words to describe Ylenia without insulting her. At that moment guard knocked on the door and announced that the king was waiting for the lady on the courtyard. Ylenia kept staring at her own reflection on the mirror and waiting for her maid to continue.  
\- You look ready for some adventures. the maid said finally.  
\- Tell me, have you ever left Mirkwood? Ylenia asked suddenly.  
\- No, my lady. I was brought up near the palace and after reaching the adulthood I have been a maid. she answered and bowed a little. “As I thought” Ylenia mumbled and after clearing her throat she straightened her posture and answered  
\- Then do not try to tell me how to dress when I am going out into the wild. 

After this Ylenia rushed out from her chamber and walked swiftly through the halls and corridors to get to the main doors and out to the courtyard. The hem of her long overcoat was flowing behind her, making her look powerful and even dangerous. It was exactly the effect that Ylenia had hoped to reach with her dramatic choice of clothing. She wanted to look equal with Thranduil and she was a little bit bothered that during the years in the Mirkwood palace she had become just one face in the crowd. In the beginning of her stay Ylenia had been feared and her maid would have never dared to protest and question her decisions but now apparently it was completely alright and acceptable for the servants to behave in such way. “Maybe the next time the maid will ask me to tie her shoelaces” Ylenia thought but then she immediately realized how ridiculously she was behaving. One thing that she had promised herself when she had decided to stay in the Mirkwood palace was that she would never become a snob who thought herself above the others. Ylenia had been living most of her own life in exile, fighting for survival and then living even more modestly than the common elves. “I will apologize to her later” she thought and rushed to the king who was standing next to a massive elk.

\- I am sorry for taking so long. Ylenia said and before Thranduil was even able to react Ylenia had already lifted herself onto the saddle. She looked beautiful but in a completely different way than Thranduil had ever seen her before. First of all he had never seen her in trousers and leather boots.  
\- Shall we? she asked and smiled a little. Thranduil got on his elk and they both rode out from the palace gate, into the wild. 

The day was sunny but there were some dark clouds in the distant horizon. Ylenia and Thranduil raced away from the palace and then slowed down to continued riding with a smooth, leisurely pace. Thranduil admired Ylenia silently and he could not help staring at her every time she was not looking. The blue in her overcoat complimented the blue in her hair as well as in her eyes and the trousers complimented her strong, yet feminine legs. Yes, Ylenia’s legs were long and beautiful but Thranduil couldn’t help noticing how well-defined muscles she had under the fabric, which was very uncommon for the elves… although Thranduil reminded himself that Ylenia had also very strong arms as well as shoulders so it was only natural for her to have strong legs as well.

Thranduil and Ylenia arrived to the shore of a small forest lake, which was more like a large pond. The sun was still shining and the weather was somewhat warm. The elf hopped off his elk and before Ylenia followed his lead, he said “wait” and walked to Ylenia’s horse, asked “may I?” and when he had gotten a smile and a nod as a sign of an approval, the king placed his hands on her waist and helped her to the ground. He lowered her slowly in front of him and kept holding her firmly close to him, although he was keeping his distance modest because they were out together without any escorts.

\- Thank you for coming with me. Thranduil said and kept staring deep into the eyes of the witch who felt at the same time so safe and familiar like home but also mysterious and treacherous like the roaring sea far up in the north. Ylenia was feeling a little bit nervous again because the king was standing so close and he was much taller than she was. He had also very powerful aura which was now surrounding her completely. There was something in the woods that made him feel much more powerful than normally in the palace. Thranduil was one with the forest, just like Ylenia was one with the icy sea. The Elf King was almost as old as the trees that were surrounding them and Ylenia knew that ancient magic that hid in the forest was just as powerful and ancient as her own powers… although she had not told about them to him, to anyone, actually and the maid knew only because she had seen Ylenia change when the witch had lost her temper in the maid’s presence a few times. Now Ylenia however was thinking about sharing her secret with the king.

\- There is something I need to… Ylenia said and sighed deeply as she shifted her gaze away from Thranduil.  
Thranduil removed his hands of her waist immediately and stepped further away from her. It had been bold enough for him to ask her for a private walk in the woods and now he realized just how overly boldly he had been behaving by getting so close and holding her by her waist so firmly. The more the king kept thinking about it the more convinced he became that he was taking things too far too fast and it was not acceptable because Ylenia was a noble lady, the ruler of her home realm and his future queen if everything went well between him and her.

\- There is something I need to tell you. Ylenia said when she had walked a little bit further away from the king. Thranduil kept his eyes fixed upon her all the time, monitoring and deciphering the expressions on her face. Her expressions were changing from nervous to hesitant and all the way to worried which made the elf worried as well. Ylenia inhaled deeply and began  
\- Please try to understand why I didn’t tell you sooner-  
\- Tell me what, my lady? the king asked and walked a little bit closer, but keeping still a safe distance of roughly two meters to give Ylenia space to tell him what was weighing her mind so.  
\- When I… Ylenia said and sighed. It was clear that she was having difficulties to form her thoughts into words and further into sentences. Ylenia started the sentence a couple of times in different ways but she was unable to continue any further. Thranduil was just about to ask her something when she said  
\- It is better if I’ll just show you.

Ylenia walked to the shore of the little forest lake and concentrated her mind as she kept staring at the clear water. Thranduil did not say anything or move. He only stared at her patiently and waited. Suddenly he saw small ice flowers appearing on Ylenia’s hair and the surface of the lake started to turn into ice. The ice spread outwards from the tips of her toes and after a moment Ylenia stepped on the ice. She could hear the elf taking one sharp breath as he watched her walking on the water. Ylenia turned to face Thranduil who had walked right to the waterline, as close to her as he possibly dared. The king swallowed once when he noticed Ylenia’s eyes glowing and her skin getting paler, almost like it had been made of fresh snow.

\- How? he gasped and kept staring at Ylenia. He shifted his eyes to the growing ice coverage and then back to Ylenia.  
\- Come. Ylenia said and extended her hand to the elf. Thranduil looked hesitant at first but then he encouraged his mind and placed his foot on the ice. He knew that the elves were able to walk on the snow without any problems even when the lightest creatures sank in but still he felt nervous about the ice. He was able to see the fishes swimming under his feet as a few had gathered to wonder the sudden ice roof on their home. Ylenia smiled a little and took the elf’s hand which was almost burning hot compared to hers.  
\- What sorcery is this? Thranduil asked and did his best to calm his mind, but Ylenia was able to sense that he was nervous.  
\- This magic is as old as the forest surrounding us. When I died-

Ylenia stopped talking when the look on the king’s face changed. He was confused, surprised and getting a little bit angry that he had not been aware of the powers that Ylenia possessed. She after all had been living under his roof for over twenty years and now he was realizing that he did not even know her that well. Thranduil was not worried but he was insulted that Ylenia had not trusted him enough to tell him about this. He did not know what “this” even was and now he felt a little bit threatened. He walked back on the solid ground and avoided looking at Ylenia for a moment. He was also bothered by the fact that this made Ylenia more powerful than he was and it meant that she was a possible threat to the elven realm. Thranduil was not used to considering himself as the weaker person but now he had to face the fact that Ylenia was dangerous and she was something else than a sweet lady who needed a protector. No, Ylenia was something else and it terrified the Elf King a little, which on the other hand was ridiculous and the elf knew it; he had known Ylenia for many years and nothing had actually changed. She was still the same person that Thranduil had fallen in love with. Thranduil took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts. Then he turned around and for his surprise, Ylenia looked normal again and she was standing a little further away from him, staring at him with a worried look on her face. Thranduil took a quick glance at the lake which was now completely unfrozen. “Maybe I imagined it” he thought and tried to convince himself that he had indeed just imagined the entire thing.

\- When I died… Ylenia began again with a soft, calm tone. Thranduil turned his head away and closed his eyes as if the memory had actually physically hurt him. He clenched his hands into fists and pleaded  
\- Please, do not ask me to return there-  
\- No, listen to me… Ylenia said and walked to him, put her hand on his arm and rubbed it gently. Thranduil calmed a little bit and returned to look at Ylenia, who then began again  
\- When I died, you buried me into the sea-  
\- Why do you insist on hurting me with that memory? the king asked with a silent tone, yet it was easy to hear that he was hurt and upset.  
\- Listen to me, let me explain. Ylenia pleaded and sat down on the warm, large rock that was right at the waterline. Thranduil was silent for a moment and then sighed. He nodded and sat down next to her.  
\- I was brought back by my ancestors, but before that was… remade. I am no longer the daughter of my parents. she explained and rubbed her hands together. Thranduil put his hand over hers and squeezed lightly. The gesture gave Ylenia the courage that she so desperately needed to tell him the great secret that she had been keeping for over twenty years.

\- Who are you? the elf asked with a silent tone.  
\- I am not quite sure. If I had the books of my people, I might find an answer but I believe that my ancestors, the first great witches who took the physical forms as they left the sea and built their homes on the shores of it... Ylenia explained and hoped that Thranduil would understand. The king however did not comment, he was clearly waiting for her to explain further.  
\- They brought me back as one of them. she said and exhaled deeply.  
\- What gives you a reason to think so? Thranduil asked. Ylenia chuckled a little and sighed before answering  
\- What you just saw-  
\- The ice? the elf asked. His tone was calm but Ylenia sensed that he was on alert. He did not trust her like he had before. This made Ylenia sad.  
\- Yes, the ice. It is ancient magic. My parents were not able to do such things because those abilities got lost when the witches continued their bloodline with the elves or even with mortal beings. The old spells got forgotten as the witches forgot their own roots as well as their ancestors. Ylenia spoke and after she had finished talking, a silence took over the conversation. Ylenia did not know what to say because she had no idea what the king was thinking about. Was he terribly shocked? Did he now think that Ylenia was some kind of ancient monster? Had Thranduil’s feelings for her changed now that he knew the truth about her?

\- And…? Thranduil asked cautiously, almost as he had been looking for a confirmation that he had understood correctly.  
\- And I know the old spells… and I can conjure ice. Ylenia replied as she stared at the water.  
\- Why did they bring you back? Thranduil asked suddenly. Ylenia scoffed and stood up. It was not the question she had assumed to hear. The elf noticed that Ylenia had understood his question in the most wrong way possible. He stood up as well and bowed deeply.  
\- I apologize, my lady. What I wanted to ask was… if you know why they made you like them? he said and hoped that his inconsiderate question had not upset Ylenia too much. He kept forgetting that he was not the only one who had suffered when Ylenia had died. No, Ylenia had actually died and she had come back for him.  
\- I suppose there is a purpose. I however have not found out what that purpose is. Perhaps it is to start over and take back the lands that my ancestors took for granted. she answered and opened her coat a little because the sun was shining so warmly to the spot where she was standing in.  
\- Is that what you want, my lady? the king asked with a shaky voice. He understood the responsibilities of a ruler far too well himself but he also knew that it would break his heart if Ylenia decided to pursue her ambitions or maybe she was now just a vessel of her ancestors, brought back to implement their will.

\- No. Ylenia answered with a firm tone. She knew what she wanted but she hoped that she was able to hold her own if the ancestors started to demand things from her; Ylenia after all owed them her life as well as her powers.  
\- What do you want then? Thranduil asked.  
\- I came back for you. I know we have taken such detours to get here… What I want is to continue on this path, and I would very much like you to walk it with me. she answered and smiled a little bit.  
\- If you still feel the same. she added and turned away because she was afraid of being rejected now. Thranduil stared at her as she was facing away from him and staring at the lake again. Ylenia’s braided hair sparkled in the sunlight and the hem oh her overcoat was gently dancing in the wind which made her look mystical and mesmerizing. Thranduil walked behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her. He pulled her closer to lean on his chest. Ylenia sighed relieved when she felt his warmth drowning her again.  
\- Why did you not tell me? he asked with a soft whisper.  
\- I was afraid. she answered.  
\- Afraid of what? he asked as he buried his face into her hair and breathed in her scent.  
\- Of so many things but none of them make sense anymore. she answered and then turned to face him.  
\- I am so sorry that I did not tell you. she stated with a sincere tone. “Can you forgive me?” she asked as she looked deep into the ice-blue eyes of the Elf King. “Nothing to forgive” the elf answered and embraced her tightly. He brushed her hair slowly as she rested her head against his strong chest. Ylenia closed her eyes and breathed in and out calmly. She heard Thranduil’s heart beating steadily and the sound got mixed with the sounds of the surrounding nature as well as the sound of his calm breathing.

Suddenly however the sun went behind the thick, gray storm clouds and the warmth left the forest in a second. Thranduil heard a distant rumble which he recognized immediately to be a thunder storm that was approaching from the north. Then a strong, cold wind blew through the forest and worked its way under their clothes making them shiver. The wind carried a scent of rain and after a moment Thranduil felt the first drops of water on his face.  
\- We should go. he said and called his elk that appeared after ten seconds with the horse. Now Ylenia was also able to hear the sound of thunder because it was closer, approaching quite fast actually. Ylenia buttoned her overcoat and hopped effortlessly on the horse. Thranduil spoke to the horse in elvish and then got on his elk. He commanded the animals to gallop as fast as they could. “Fly home” he said in elvish as he glanced over his shoulder and saw a heavy, gray curtain of rain approaching swiftly. Ylenia closed her eyes and concentrated her thoughts so when the rain reached them, it turned into snow right above their heads.

Then suddenly a lightning stroke a tree nearby which scared the horse and made it to rear its legs. Ylenia opened her eyes and as she got distracted the gently floating snowflakes turned into icy water and she fell off the horse. The horse galloped away in shock. Thranduil heard the horse neighing loudly and when he turned to look over his shoulder he saw the horse on his two legs and Ylenia falling on the ground. At that moment when she hit the ground, the snow turned into rain and it did not take long for Thranduil to get his heavy cloak all soaked. That however was the least of his concerns.

The Elf King ordered his elk turn back and he jumped on the ground to help Ylenia. She had fallen on a rock and her left hand was twisted in abnormal position. Thranduil lifted Ylenia up and helped her on his elk. He got to sit behind her and held her tightly against his body, while he tried to avoid touching her dislocated arm and hurting her even more. The storm was however now raging on them and the elk was getting restless and was not taking the orders anymore. The lightning kept striking the trees all over them and the elf decided that the palace was too far away to get there safely.

Thranduil ordered the elk to stop and hopped down. He helped Ylenia down as well and carried her into a small cave. There they were at least away from the elements and safe from the lightning strikes. Thranduil ordered his elk to lay down in front of the cave so it blocked most of the wind from entering the safe place. Ylenia was shivering and her arm was hurting badly. When she had fallen on the rock the air had pressed out from her lungs and she had also hit her head to the ground as the result. Ylenia was in shock; her mind was clouded by the ache in the back of her head and the terrible pain in her arm. Thranduil walked to her and unbuttoned the overcoat, slid it off her shoulders, which made her gasp for air and opened her tunic as well.

The elf’s actions were very controlled and he was performing his actions like a machine on a mission. Ylenia was still unable to react and completely distracted so when the king opened her tunic and slid it off her leaving her chest almost bare, she was unable to take action and cover herself. Ylenia was shivering violently and her body was getting numb so she was not able to feel the sharp pain that followed when Thranduil grabbed her arm.  
\- Ylenia. he said and put his hand on her cheek. He turned her softly to look at him and repeated her name until she focused on him.  
\- Your arm is dislocated. I need to fix it. he said and waited for some kind of response. Ylenia took a couple of deep, sharp breaths and nodded. Thranduil lifted Ylenia’s arm and then twisted it up, back and pulled it forward which made her scream but also made the pain so much milder. She held breath and closed her eyes.  
\- Alright. Thranduil said and added a word “done” with a soft whisper. He kept feeling her cool, shivering skin with his fingertips. Ylenia leaned onto his chest, trying to steal some of the warmth that was radiating from the king.

\- You are shivering, my love. he said and stepped away from her. Ylenia gasped silently when she felt the warmth abandoning her and at the same time she realized that she was standing in front of the king in her undergarment and trousers. Thranduil immediately opened the clasps of his robe and took it off. His cloak was completely soaked but luckily the robe was not. He put is on Ylenia’s shoulders and wrapped his arms around her. Ylenia pressed her cheek against the warm skin of his chest and slowly she stopped shivering violently.  
\- Let me assure you, my lady, I did not plan this. he stated. This statement made Ylenia laugh a little and she asked if it would be possible to sit down for a moment. Thranduil replied “of course” and found a place to sit on. He sat down and gestured Ylenia to sit on his lap, sideways and rest her head on his chest.

\- Aren’t you cold? she asked with a weak tone and suggested that he would take his robe back.  
\- No, we elves do not feel the cold, but you, my love, do. Besides, your clothes are soaked. he answered and rubbed her arm gently to make her warmer. His blonde, wet hair got glued to his chest and for the first time Ylenia saw Thranduil in a little bit less graceful state, but in her eyes he was the most graceful creature that she had ever seen.  
\- Surely not. Ylenia said and searched the pile of her overcoat and tunic with her gaze. But it was easy to see that her clothes were indeed completely wet. The rock that she had fallen on had been sticking out from thick moss. The moss however had been completely soaked and falling in that had been almost as bad as falling into a shallow pool of water.

Ylenia snuggled closer and dozed off for a couple of hours. She woke up when a lightning stroke to a tree nearby. Thranduil had been awake the entire time, guarding her sleep and keeping her warm. When Ylenia woke up she was somewhat confused about her whereabouts but the elf’s soft whispers calmed her down very quickly. The king’s elk was still bravely laying in front of the caves opening, keeping the warmth in and the cold wind out. Thranduil had been talking in elvish to his old friend and promised to give him plenty of treats as soon as they got back to the palace.  
\- I must say that I have never ridden a chicken like that before. Ylenia chuckled when she was completely awake and aware of what had happened.  
\- Chicken? Thranduil asked with a puzzled tone.  
\- The horses of the Northern Realm are as fearless as their masters. Ylenia stated and got up. Her arm hurt quite a lot when she moved it but at least the pain was not constant anymore. She walked to the opening of the cave and tried to see outside a little. It was getting late and the forest was still tormented by the storm. The rain was hitting the ground with full force and there were constant flashes that were blinding Ylenia completely. "They enjoy racing the storm and believe me, the storms in the north... they are fierce" she added and took the king’s cloak which had been hung to dry and for her surprise it had managed to dry already. It was made of finest elvish fabric that was warm yet light and dried quickly, although there was so much of it in Thranduil’s cloak that it was quite heavy to carry. "Me and my brother used to race the storms much like this one" Ylenia mumbled to herself with a barely audible voice as she stared into the darkening forest. Thranduil however heard her. He could recognize an undertone of grief in her tone, which did not surprise the elf; Ylenia had lost her family and even though her brother had tried to kill her, succeeded even, he was still her brother and she had the right to miss him... occasionally at least.

\- How is it out there? Thranduil asked and got up. He suspected that Ylenia needed a distraction and some concrete actions as support. Talking from the distance was not the way to go this time.  
\- I guess we are going to spend the night here. Ylenia answered casually after she had wiped one runaway tear off her cheek. She turned to look at Thranduil, smiled a little and handed the heavy cloak to the Elf King.  
\- Are you sure? he asked and walked behind her to take a look. He was greeted with the exact same view that Ylenia had been greeted with and after petting the huge animal for a moment, the Elf King walked to the back corner of the cave and spread his cloak on the ground. Ylenia turned to watch him and then suddenly, the otherwise almost completely dark cave was lighted up by a lightning and she saw the king, shirtless, extending his hand to her.  
Thranduil had strong, wide shoulders and manly arms. The muscles of his chest were well-defined and his skin was flawless. His hair had dried already and they fell majestically on his shoulders and down on his chest, ending to the midway. Ylenia took the king’s hand and followed him to the bed which he had made. The king put his hands on her shoulders and slowly slid his robe off, dropped it on the bed and put his hands on her cheeks. He kissed Ylenia on her lips very softly and whispered “lay down”.

The king helped Ylenia to sit on the cloak and then knelt in front of her to take off her boots. He massaged the muscles of her legs gently and crawled on top of her but instead of lowering himself down he helped her to lay down. Then he took off his boots and lay down next to her on his side. Thranduil whispered “turn on your side” and put his arm under Ylenia’s head so she was able to get comfortable and spread his robe over them to work as a blanket. Ylenia fell asleep rather quickly as the king held her tightly against him, pressing his chest against her back, keeping her warm throughout the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For you Angel_style!!!
> 
> I hope you liked this and others too =)


	10. Torn between the two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The storm is over, Ylenia wakes up in the cave before Thranduil...
> 
> Plenty of feelings, thoughts and some fluff in the end :P

The storm subsided before the night turned into a new day. It was a beautiful morning that glimmered in the sunshine as the drops of water fell off from the leafs when a slight breeze rocked the trees gently. The elk was the first one to wake up. It stood up and left the mouth of the cave to find something tasty to eat, it had definitely deserved it for providing much-needed shade and cover from the vicious winds that had been raging in the Mirkwood forest for many hours. When the king’s elk left the spot it had been keeping the cave suddenly filled with fresh, yet quite cool air which woke Ylenia up.  
Ylenia opened her eyes slowly, not completely sure about her whereabouts and who was holding her tightly against a very firm, yet smooth and warm surface that kept falling and rising peacefully under her head. Suddenly she remembered the storm as well as the falling off the horse, of which she got a confirmation when she moved herself a little; the previously dislocated and then fixed arm ached sharply when she tried to push herself up from the slightly awkward position.

Ylenia was in love with the king and that was not the thing that made the position so awkward, but she knew all too well her own upbringing and even though there was no one left to judge her for acting so boldly she couldn’t help feeling slightly embarrassed and like she had crossed some boundaries that she, as the ruler of the Northern Realm and a lady, shouldn’t have crossed. Her actions would have been enough to cause a scandal in her own court even without the storm because according to the etiquette it was not proper behavior for a lady, no matter what the status or social rank was, to go out into the forest with an eligible man, especially when the man had expressed his feelings to be deep and affectionate.  
  
Realizing this terrified Ylenia a little. Sure she was with the king, the man that she was supposed to marry anyway and to whom she would have been married already if she had not escaped such a long time ago. Besides the king was a man of honor. He was always graceful and his actions always made sense, mostly because he never did anything without considering all aspects and possibilities and then deciding the ultimately best way to act. But still, being almost naked with the king who was half-naked as well… sleeping in his arms, letting him to hold her so intimately, although Ylenia knew that she would have probably gotten sick or badly hypothermic otherwise, it still was a bit too much too soon.

Ylenia managed to push herself up with the help of her one arm and knees and even though her arm hurt when she changed her position, she managed to keep her cries inside. She tucked the elf in with his robe and sneaked to the pile of her clothes to check out if they were already dry. They were not but Ylenia got dressed into them anyway. She reasoned that she couldn’t continue this self-exposing because if she did and the king woke up and saw her like that… it might give the king wrong ideas about her character or the worse yet, the king wouldn’t take her seriously anymore. Strangely enough Ylenia was not afraid of the king taking advantage of the situation, knowing what kind of a ladies’ man the king was, having many casual not-relationships back in the day… that at least was what she had been told, but Ylenia trusted Thranduil. She trusted that the king loved her and wasn’t going to treat her the same way he had treated many women in his court; as easy fun without any strings attached. However, Ylenia couldn’t be seen like this if she wanted to be seen as a leader and not as some cheap… whore.

Ylenia was powerful and she knew that. She had powers that only the mighty ancestors had had a long time ago and she had a deep need to be recognized as who she was and not as the king’s future wife. Besides Ylenia did not know what the king thought about her now. Did he see her as a threat? If he did, it was completely unnecessary because Ylenia was neither planning to seize the rule of Mirkwood nor planning to return to the Northern Realm. She had never dreamed about ruling a realm and like her brother had commented; Ylenia had been raised up for an easy life, to be the wife of an elf king while her brother had always known that the weight of their people, their home realm were on his shoulders. Ylenia’s brother had never had the luxury to fill his life with beautiful things such as arts and hunger to educate oneself. No, Ylenia’s brother had been brought up to be a strong ruler for a secluded, harsh and lonely realm. However what the parents of Ylenia had not realized was that their son had actually been weak.  
  
Yes, weakness had been the disease that had corrupted the brother and made him glorify death. He had become bitter and jealous and if there ever had been a moment when the brother had been truly worthy of the throne, the moment had passed as swiftly as the sun passed across the sky during the darkest winter. Ylenia however was different. She had not been raised to be a warrior or a leader but she had been strong enough to tear herself apart from the comfortable and safe life in the court and escape the arranged marriage. It might have not been the smartest decision of her life but at least it had been her own decision. A freedom to choose had never been one of the privileges of her brother and that had driven him mad, mostly because he had always known that the time of the Northern Realm was running out.

After leaving the court Ylenia had been forced to survive on her own. She had been unable to rely on anyone and she had been forced to keep her true identity as a secret from everyone because she had known that there was a reward issued for capturing her and bringing her home or to Mirkwood. Life had been hard and lonely as it had been gloomy and filled with sorrow. Ylenia had missed home, she had cursed herself countless of times for running away but she had always been too proud to return home or face the Elf King. She had faced many dangers without sufficient means to defend herself but somehow she had always survived with her wits until one day she had started to learn to fight, she after all had the physique of a true warrior and strength that exceeded the strength of the mortal men but still she was always considered as a feeble woman, which of course annoyed her greatly.  
  
Ylenia had learned to fight and then learned to fight extremely well, although no one ever believed in her abilities when she was wearing a dress which made her look very feminine and surprisingly graceful. In the beginning Ylenia had wanted to prove herself in every turn and she had been picking up fights with people who had doubted her or otherwise questioned her but then as the time had passed she had learned to appreciate the calm moments in life and the times when her life was not threatened. But on the other hand, she loved adventures and excitement, thrills and danger, it was what she knew and although she appreciated her secure life in the Mirkwood palace, her thoughts sometimes wandered off to the unknown territories and glorious battles that were waiting for to be won.  
  
It was very strange that she was feeling like this because usually the men were the ones who sought meaning for their lives from adventures and battles while the women preferred the calm, peaceful lives… but Ylenia was different; she had an ongoing battle within herself, whether she knew it or not. Her subconscious was always in crossroads about her life in the court. Was the life meaningful enough to satisfy the spirit of a wanderer or would she someday get bored, lose her mind and do something drastic? Ylenia enjoyed her life with the elves but the truth was that the Northern wind was constantly whispering into her ear, luring her to wander off from the path she had chosen. It was speaking to her in her dreams, telling great tales of great deeds that had not been done, filling her heart with longing for the unknown horizon. This longing stayed hidden as long as Ylenia’s mind was busy with love and other feelings, but maybe a day came when she wouldn’t be able to ignore the Northern wind anymore.

Ylenia got dressed and walked out from the cave. A cold north wind greeted her and chilled her core. She closed her eyes as a reaction and listened to the wind speaking to her. It spoke in riddles that she was unable to understand but it made her feel uneasy and filled her mind with questions. What was the purpose of her coming back? Were the ancestors planning her future for her? Had the time for free will and the freedom of choice come to an end? What if the ancestors, the spirits of the great old witches had decided that Ylenia was to fill the shoes of her parents, now that her brother had failed the task so miserably?  
  
Ylenia focused her mind and stared into the glimmering forest. Suddenly the small drops of water turned into ice that shimmered like million diamonds in the sunshine. The sight reminded her of home and even though she never admitted it to anyone, she missed those clear, cold winter days when the sun turned the entire world to resemble the greatest gems and the fresh white powder snow covered everything turning the world into something brand new and untouched.  
  
Thranduil woke up almost as soon as Ylenia had walked out. He noticed immediately that his future queen had left his side and that made him feel slightly disappointed. He had after all waited for a long time to get where he was now, or where he had been one should say, but now the witch of the north was nowhere to be seen. Thranduil was a proud man but he had made a decision not to get offended or upset for small matters. He got up, put his robe on and headed out from the cave as his sharp ears head a twig breaking in the forest.  
  
The Elf King walked out and saw the ice diamonds shining all around him and in the middle of it all was Ylenia, standing completely still, silently facing away from the cave as well as Thranduil. Ylenia’s hair was decorated with ice flowers that were sparkling beautifully in the morning sun. The sight made Thranduil gasp for air, although his gasp was so silent that Ylenia couldn’t hear it. Ylenia looked magical, almost ancient as she stood there, just less than five meters away from Thranduil.  
  
Even though Thranduil thought that he had no reason to be afraid of Ylenia, there still was a small part of him that was, especially in moments like these when Ylenia seemed sure of herself. It was not about just her new, or not so new, abilities but mainly about her confidence. When Thranduil had met Ylenia for the first time she had been stubborn and proud, a little childish in Thranduil’s opinion and there had not been many reasons for him to respect her… to fear her strength. Therefore Thranduil had felt superior like he always felt but he had noticed a change in Ylenia’s attitude when she had returned to Mirkwood. The king had not known what it was, maybe the fact that she had come back from the death, but he had noticed that Ylenia had become… stronger. She had found her confidence. However in retrospect Thranduil now suspected that it had been the first effects of Ylenia’s new powers even though she might have not been aware of them herself at the time.

Before finding out about Ylenia’s powers Thranduil had always thought that she was no match for him which had been one of the main reasons why he had not paid more attention to his Northern guest after she had come back. Of course bigger reason had been his own feelings towards Ylenia, but if he had known that she had brought back something else as well, would the Elf King dared to let her wander so freely in his kingdom? Now that Thranduil knew about Ylenia’s ancient powers, granted to her by the mightiest of witches, he couldn’t help feeling at least a little bit challenged and suspicious and he was afraid that Ylenia sensed it. He loved her, that was for certain and he was unable to imagine anything that would change his feelings for her, but still there was seed of doubt in the back of his mind warning him that Ylenia was now a big player in the game that she didn’t possibly even understand.

Suddenly the drops of ice melted, all at the same time and the ice flowers disappeared from Ylenia’s hair. She knew that Thranduil was watching her, standing behind her, monitoring and evaluating. She knew that Thranduil loved her but there was a doubt in her mind, like a growing shadow, that Thranduil’s opinion about her had changed somehow. Did the king feel threatened now? Ylenia remembered the look on the king’s face when she had shown him what she was able to do… the expression of feeling betrayed, threatened and challenged when Ylenia had never wanted to hurt the king in any way. Sure, she should have told him earlier, not after many-many years, but Ylenia had been afraid that Thranduil would have seen her as a complication, especially when she had not been able to control her new abilities.

\- I didn’t choose this. Ylenia said suddenly. She didn’t turn to face Thranduil because she didn’t know what to expect. Was the elf angry at her? Was he going to put her into prison? Did he love her still? Of course Thranduil had held her the entire night and Ylenia knew that she had no real reason to have these questions in her mind, but still… the Elf King sometimes changed his opinion very swiftly according to his current mood and therefore there was no guarantee that Thranduil would just “be okay” with what he had witnessed. Ylenia had been called a coward, especially by her second cousin Mimosa, because Ylenia did not like to confront difficult situations and do as expected… and she knew that this “not facing Thranduil” was exactly what Mimosa had called as “typical Ylenia”.  
\- Chose… what? Thranduil asked. Ylenia noticed immediately that his tone was soft, unlike she had expected and therefore she turned to face him. For her disappointment the king was standing quite far… maybe he actually feared her now. Ylenia was silent for a moment and then she smiled a little.  
\- Nothing. Nothing has changed. she said with a calm and reassuring tone as she shook her head slowly.  
\- I know. Thranduil answered, but he still kept his distance. Ylenia tried to keep the smile on her face but after a moment of an awkward silence it faded away without her noticing it.  
\- Why did you leave without waking me up? Thranduil asked after a moment. Ylenia gasped and began  
\- I-  
\- Were you uncomfortable? Thranduil asked with a concerned tone and cautiously walked a little closer. Ylenia didn’t know what to say. She wanted to tell him that she had been raised to be a noblewoman, a lady, and this wasn’t really the way she was supposed to carry herself… but she couldn’t say that to Thranduil without taking a risk of offending him.  
\- No. she answered and tried to figure out how to continue. Thranduil cleared his throat and said  
\- I had hoped to wake up with you by my side, to help you to get dressed-  
\- My lord, I think we are crossing a line here. Ylenia exclaimed as a reaction. She didn’t mean to be rude but the king was talking about helping her to get dressed… although helping one to get dressed was not as bad as to help someone get undressed… which was exactly what the king had done yesterday.  
\- My apologies, I was only thinking about your arm. the king said with an apologetic tone. He knew that he wasn’t supposed to be alone with her but it had been a long time since he had felt anything like this for someone. It blurred his better judgment about what was appropriate and what was not.  
  
\- How is your arm? he asked.  
\- It is fine. Ylenia said and lifted her hurt arm to show Thranduil that it was alright but moving it was a mistake and she was greeted with a sharp pain which made Ylenia gasp. This made Thranduil rush to her with a worried look on his face.  
\- When I don’t move it. she added with a chuckle when the king inspected her arm. He put his hand on her shoulder and felt the muscles and bones through her clothes. Thranduil was very gentle and considerate, just like he had been during the previous evening after the accident. His hair shone in the sun as it moved in the light breeze blowing through the forest. Ylenia admired everything in Thranduil, his sharp eyes and how they were fully focused on her, his smile that he showed only to the few and selected people. This in particular made Ylenia feel very special. She admired his sense of style because he always carried himself so well… and so many other things. But all this made her blush and feel vulnerable to be so clearly attracted to the elf.  
\- Seriously, I am fine, my lord. Ylenia assured with a firm tone that wasn’t exactly a tone of a woman in love. She kept avoiding the attentive gaze of the king because it made her feel like he had seen all her secrets, right into her soul, and now that there was a hefty blush on her face she really wanted to hide. Thranduil noticed this and stepped away a little further.  
\- Always fine. he scoffed and turned around. He called his elk a couple of times loudly and then shifted his attention back to Ylenia, who noticed that the king was slightly irritated.  
  
\- You are always fine, my lady. he stated and then turned around to look at her. The softness had left his eyes and he stared at her like he stared at anyone who was beneath him.  
\- You are… strong, clever, intelligent and extremely independent. the king listed Ylenia’s qualities but his tone made Ylenia feel like those were the worst qualities possible. She shifted her gaze elsewhere from the king and tried to remain calm because she didn’t like to be confronted like that.  
\- Can’t you see, my lady… my love, that you do not always have to be fine! the king exclaimed with an expression that was a mixture of desperation and frustration. Ylenia did not comment. She knew that the king had a point but for so long she had looked after for herself that it was in her blood and bones.  
\- I need you to need me. Thranduil added with a defeated tone and turned around to talk to his elk that was galloping closer through the forest. The elk was one of the king’s closest friends and they both, the elf and his steed, had learned to recognize each other’s footsteps from afar. The elk appeared behind Ylenia, which spooked her a little. She looked the elf getting onto the massive elk with one fluid motion and he walked a circle around the Northern witch who was still avoiding his gaze.  
\- Would you like to ride home with me or would you rather walk? the king asked with a formal, overly polite tone that presented no emotions whatsoever. Ylenia bowed theatrically and started to walk.  
  
\- You are walking in the wrong direction, my lady. Thranduil said with a loud tone as he followed Ylenia getting further and further away from him.  
\- The Northern Witch never walks in the wrong direction, King Thranduil. She will always end up where she needs to be. Ylenia shouted and continued walking. The elf groaned and hurried his old friend to gallop to the palace as fast as possible. If the great witch wanted to be a great fool, the king was not going to stop her. They were both proud and stubborn and it required a massive amount of pride-swallowing to apologize in a situation where neither of them was completely and utterly wrong. Thranduil did not like to be challenged in his own kingdom and Ylenia was too strong to be just a quiet mouse.

Ylenia walked forward, deeper into the forest. She knew that she had many hours of daylight but even during the brightest day the light never truly penetrated the thick foliage somewhere high up, but Ylenia knew this forest, or she had once known it. She knew that she was quite far away from the palace although she wasn’t exactly sure about the distances and the surrounding forest kept messing up with her head. She had been in the palace for too long and during that time she had lost her contact with the trees. There had been a time when she had been able to navigate the forest even with her eyes shut but now quite frankly Ylenia felt lost and vulnerable. Maybe this had been a mistake.

Then it got dark and after walking for almost ten hours Ylenia finally rested. She sighed relieved when she was able to hear a river somewhere in the distance and it gave her some reassurance that she was moving in the right direction. She really needed this time to think because she had started to feel that in the palace she was sometimes unable to hear her own thoughts. After all, the life in the elvish court was so different from what she had gotten used to; there were always guards and servants around taking care of her every need and wish. Ylenia’s life was very easy there, but it also lacked challenges.

Ylenia knew that she couldn’t be too far from the small, old cottage but she decided to camp for the night because her arm was aching a little and her feet tired from walking. The night was peaceful and silent, the entire forest around her was asleep but the witch herself was unable to close her eyes because her thoughts kept on returning to the previous night when she had slept in the arms of the king. It had been inappropriate but Ylenia had felt good and safe, warm and loved and she realized that when she had woken up, her head had been instantly filled with so many thoughts that had led her astray from the thing that really mattered; the king loved her and she loved the king.

Thranduil was awake as well. He had been highly annoyed at first when he had arrived to the palace, after a long ride through the forest, but as the hours had passed he had gotten worried. He had eaten dinner, alone and the empty seat, the seat where Ylenia usually sat when she dined with him, kept reminding him that his loved one was somewhere in the woods. “The witch always ends up where she needs to be”, the words haunted the king’s mind. He reasoned that Ylenia would have returned to the palace if that was the place where she was supposed to be, but this notion also hurt him. Apparently the Mirkwood court was not the place where she needed to be, although it was the place where the king, the man that she claimed to love, was. Thranduil finished his dinner and walked to the balcony. He spent the whole night standing there, staring at the dark forest that surrounded his palace, wishing that Ylenia would come back.  
\- I would love you, no matter what. he whispered to the wind and hoped that Ylenia would hear him.

Ylenia recoiled when her head dropped. She had been in and out of sleep for a few hours, always recoiling when she was about to sink deeper. The sun had already risen but it was still very early. Ylenia found some berries in the forest but they were not nearly enough to satisfy her hunger. Then king and she were supposed to be back for the late dinner, but then there had been the storm and even the original plan had gotten screwed up. Then Ylenia had woken up, done too much thinking and she had ended up here, in the surroundings of her old cottage. After so called breakfast Ylenia got up and continued walking forward. The sound of the river got increasingly louder and after breaking through some thick bushes she found herself on the front yard of her old cottage which was now partially collapsed.

Ylenia stared at the cottage for a long time, not quite sure if she dared to go in or not; what if the cottage collapsed on her and she would get stuck? Ylenia sensed that she was all alone, there wasn’t even guards around because that part of the forest had been abandoned a long time ago and this meant that if something should happen to her, there was no one running to her rescue. Ylenia was not quite sure why she had ended up here because she had assumed that there was nothing for her there anymore. Ylenia greeted the old trees and dipped her aching feet into the water of the lively river, but the cottage kept calling her.

Ylenia took a deep breath and scolded herself for being such a coward. She left the warm rock on which she had been sitting the past two hours just trying to figure things out while soaking her tired feet, put her shoes on and walked to the door of the cottage. Ylenia opened the door and stepped in. The door made a loud creaking-sound when Ylenia pushed it wide open and the upper board of the doorframe cracked and fell to the floor just as Ylenia had walked under it. It was a vivid reminder of the danger that she had put herself into. The window had broken during some storm and the pieces of glass made a shattering sound as Ylenia walked further in. She recognized the bed where she had slept, the fireplace that had not been lighted for so many years and the table by the window where she had sat so many times, just staring out into the forest and thinking about her life. 

The walls of the cottage were rotting and the ceiling had partially collapsed when a tree had fallen over the house. The air inside the cottage smelled like the last days of autumn when everything just decayed. It was the smell of dead plants and dead creatures. The cottage felt unfamiliar to Ylenia. It made her feel melancholic because there had been a time when the cottage with the surroundings of it had been her home, her entire world but those days were now gone. Her garden, where she had once grown vegetables and herbs for seasoning as well as for medicinal purposes, was now gone because the nature had eventually taken over the land because no one had been there to take care of it. Yes, Ylenia had been away over hundred years and during that time the forest had claimed the land that Ylenia had once farmed, just like the forest was in the process of claiming black the cottage now that no one was living in it and constantly fixing things.  
\- Why am I here? Ylenia whispered and closed her eyes. She imagined the cottage as it had been when she had been living there; all the things that were now broken, still unbroken, all the things that were now dead, alive. Then she remembered. She remembered the first thing she had done when she had claimed the old, abandoned cottage for herself. 

Ylenia opened her eyes and walked to the fireplace. She squatted in front of it and felt the stones with her hand until she found one that was loose, although now the stone seemed to be stuck as the nature had started to claim back the abandoned place. There were roots growing everywhere and Ylenia had a feeling that this would be the last time that she would see her cottage. In few more years the ceiling would give in entirely and then the tiny house would be exposed to the elements.  
  
The stone made a silent cracking sound and then it suddenly came off. Ylenia put the stone next to her left foot and put her hand into the small hole that the removal had left. There, at the far end was a small leather pouch. Ylenia put the stone back, stood up and opened the knotted string that was keeping the bag closed. She poured the content of the bag onto her palm and sighed when the cold stone pendant touched her skin. It was a white, slightly translucent moonstone that glowed blue when light hit it. The stone was a beautiful rectangle that had been attached to a bail with a simple silver setting. A pendant made for a man.  
  
Ylenia walked out from the cottage, filled her lungs with the fresh air and found a spot by the river where the setting sun managed to shine through the leaves. She sat down on a warm rock and examined the flawless stone that glowed faint blue in the sunlight but revealed its true beauty in the moonlight when it started to radiate. Indeed in the moonlight it looked like a blue flame had been trapped inside the stone.  
“Why is this stone so important?” Ylenia asked herself and suddenly she had a vivid memory flash of the day when she had escaped from the Northern Realm. She had been informed that her duty was to marry the elvenking very soon and this stone pendant, which was one of the most valuable relics in the entire Northern Realm, was supposed to be the wedding gift for the king. Ylenia however had almost immediately packed few vital things and stolen that gem so the elf would never have it.  
  
Ylenia had managed to hold on to the stone pendant during all her travels, although a couple of times she had found herself in a situation where she had been almost forced to sell the precious gem or trade it for her life but fortunately she had always found another way out, eventually. The stone was precious to Ylenia because it was the only thing she had reminding her of home as well as the pale moonlight that all the people of the north loved very deeply. Even the Northern palace had been built in a way that the moon always shone in when it had climbed high up in the sky… the palace made of ice and stone, held together with ancient magic.  
  
When Ylenia had found the cottage she had hid the stone immediately, just in case if the cottage got robbed while she wasn’t there defending it… or, knowing that she was on the elven lands, she had wanted to keep the stone hidden from the locals. Ylenia had always thought that the Elf King, and the elves in general, only appreciated the stones that sparkled, not the stones that were cloudy and glowed but now she knew the race of the elves better and she knew that she had been wrong about Thranduil. Now Ylenia knew that the king would appreciate such gift, especially if she gave it with her heart.

But she had not always thought so highly of the mighty king of the elves. Ylenia’s parents had told her that the Elf King was wise and beautiful, a just ruler that deserved to be respected and feared. She had been told that when she married the elf, her place would be by his side, supporting him like an obedient wife should, silently without asking questions or questioning the king’s better judgment. Ylenia’s father had also made it perfectly clear that it didn’t matter to the king if Ylenia loved him or not and a successful marriage wasn’t built on love anyway. “Love is for children and for naïve, foolish stories” he had said and dismissed Ylenia.  
  
On her way to her private chamber Ylenia had heard someone talking in a room by the corridor that led to Ylenia’s room. The person had visited the realm of Mirkwood countless times during many years and met the king personally. He was telling his version about the king and that version had shocked Ylenia who had assumed that the Elf King was at least a somewhat reasonable man. The messenger had said, obviously without knowing that Ylenia had been listening, that the king was cold and merciless, cruel and too proud. “An old, bitter man who uses the young ladies in his court and treats them like they were worthless” the messenger had described. Then he had said that he felt sorry for the princess whose fate was to marry him because the young princess was most likely to fade away in the Mirkwood court.  
  
After hearing this description Ylenia had started to hate Thranduil, the cruel and inconsiderate king of the elves who surely were just like him. “The king like the people” she had thought and therefore she had decided to escape. But it had not been enough, there had to be more to piss off the king as well as her parents so she had stolen the precious relic as revenge, for safekeeping and a backup safety-plan because she didn’t actually have any money to bargain herself out from a tricky situation.  
  
Later Ylenia had heard that the Elf King had gotten furious about the betrayal and cut all the ties between the two kingdoms which had left the Northern Realm of Forochel without allies on the mercy of the Witch King of Angmar, who had been buried, yes, but his lands were teeming with foul creatures such as orcs and Morgul wolves, whose teeth were just as poisonous as the Morgul blade was. Ylenia had also heard that there was a reward for anyone who brought the runaway princess back home or delivered her directly to the Elf King who had been granted a right to punish her in the way he saw fit.

The sun had set and the forest was getting dark again. The day had been sunny and warm but now that the sun had set beyond the tall trees it was getting chilly. Ylenia had wasted a couple of hours deep in her thoughts, when she should have been on her way back to the Mirkwood palace already. She stood up and buttoned her coat, put the stone back into the leather pouch and the pouch into her pocket. Then she started to walk, following the stream which she knew to join a bigger river after one day’s walk. Ylenia reached out her hand with her fist clenched and spoke with a low, deep voice  
\- Syty liekki sininen, virvatuli ikiaikainen. Suo minulle hehkusi, valaise kotimatkani. (Light up blue flame, the age-old Will O The Wisp. Bestow your glow upon me, light up my journey home.)  
After this she opened her hand and there was a pale blue flame on her palm. The flame illuminated the forest with an eerie glow and it didn’t fade away until Ylenia spoke again in her native language and blew the flame like she had blown a candle. It was morning again and Ylenia was still following the stream. She walked effortlessly in the forest and by late afternoon she came to the place where the small stream joined the river. The river continued forward until it disappeared underground near the Mirkwood palace and changed into rapids before calming down again and eventually reaching to the Long Lake.

Suddenly Ylenia noticed that there was a small, abandoned boat by the river and she decided to make her journey a little easier. Ylenia found a fallen branch that was long enough to help her navigate by giving herself little pushes here and there since the river flowed still very peacefully. After a while there were guards greeting her every once in a while and Ylenia even encountered some wood elves on her way to the palace. After a few hours the river became more restless and she knew that the palace was near so therefore she decided to continue by foot. Besides the sun had reached quite low already and Ylenia suspected that it was not smart to continue by a boat that was neither sturdy nor reliable and the branch had made lately a couple of cracking sounds when Ylenia had had to muscle herself clear from the rocks. It was a difficult task as it was but even more difficult with just one arm since her previously dislocated arm kept aching every time Ylenia tried to use it.

However getting to shore was not going to be an easy task this close to the palace; Ylenia had tried a couple of times to push the boat to the shore but it was now getting unstable because the currents in the river were now stronger and the feeble boat was not manageable anymore. Fortunately a palace guard on watch duty noticed the struggle and after finding a rope he ran to the shore, threw the rope to Ylenia and pulled the boat to the shore.  
\- The king has been expecting you, my lady. the guard said and recommended that Ylenia hurried to find the king before he dined alone, again.  
\- Any idea where he might be? Ylenia asked.  
\- He has been mostly on the northern balcony, staring at the forest. Day and night. You really should hurry. the guard said and bowed. Ylenia smiled as she bowed a little and then walked to the main gate which was immediately opened for her. She walked straight to the northern balcony and stopped when she saw the king indeed standing there, staring at the forest as the pale moon climbed higher on the sky.

\- Did you find what you were looking for? the king asked suddenly. He had known it in his bones when Ylenia had walked in from the front gate.  
\- Yes. Ylenia sighed and walked closer to stand beside the tall king who looked very regal and eerily beautiful in the moonlight.  
\- And then you found your way back here. the king spoke. He was relieved beyond words but he was too proud to show it.  
\- Of course. This is my home, is it not? she asked and took the pouch out from her pocket. Thranduil kept staring at the horizon silently as he tried to decide how to apologize to Ylenia for his reaction towards her strength and putting her into a situation where her honor had been threatened and she had felt uncomfortable. Of course Thranduil was aware of the strict rules of courting a young lady but he had been too excited and happy to care about them… besides, the only thing he had wanted had been to keep her warm which surely was a noble cause. But the king knew the rules all too well. He knew the rumors that would follow if a lady spent a night alone with the king. Thranduil himself didn’t quite care about the rumors because he was the king and no one dared to question his motives… or, Legolas was the only one but his opinions were easy to ignore. Ylenia however was young and very desirable, strong and wise, full of life, a free spirited force of nature… but even though she was all of those things, she wasn’t an elf which made her an outsider and Thranduil didn’t want to make her position in the court any more difficult with rumors and gossips.

\- I am sorry. Ylenia said suddenly. Thranduil gasped and then turned to face Ylenia with an amazed look on his face. He had not expected her to apologize.  
\- I will… never use my powers again inside the borders of this realm… of your realm. she spoke and paused for a moment.  
\- What are you talking about? the Elf King asked. His voice was puzzled and sounded almost fragile, which was very uncharacteristic of the mighty king.  
\- I love you and I do not wish to challenge you… Ylenia said although the king kept shaking his head and trying to interrupt her.  
\- …and as a token of my apology and as a reminder of my love for you, my lord, I want to give you this. Ylenia said and gestured the king to reach out his hand. The king did and Ylenia emptied the content of the leather pouch on his palm. “A moonstone” the king sighed as he stared at the pendant that was now glowing in the moonlight like there had been a blue flame trapped inside the gem. The king looked mesmerized and he examined the stone closer immediately. Ylenia smiled a little when she got a confirmation that the king liked the gem as much she had hoped. Ylenia sighed and said  
\- It just needs to be polished and perhaps a leather chain or-  
\- You wish to give such a precious heirloom to me… Why? the king asked. Ylenia chuckled a little and turned around so she was able to lean her back to the decorative wooden railing of the balcony.

\- I know that these stones are priceless beyond measure to your people and therefore I cannot accept it. Thranduil continued, put the stone back into the pouch and offered it to Ylenia who shook her head slowly as she let out a sigh that was mixed with a chuckle.  
\- Thranduil. That stone was supposed to be my wedding gift to you. Ylenia answered with laughter as she thought about herself first stealing the stone so the Elf King would never have it and then giving it to him free willingly. Thranduil looked at her with a puzzled look on his face.  
\- Yes, but I stole it when I ran away. I was young and foolish. I didn’t know you and the things that I had heard were not exactly… flattering. Ylenia admitted. This made the elf raise his eyebrow and tilt his head while he listened to the blue-haired witch talk.  
\- I… didn’t think that you deserved it. she added and waited for a reaction from Thranduil, who was still listening to her patiently. “But…” Ylenia continued, put her hand over Thranduil’s as she placed the other under his hand and closed his hand for him, leaving his fist between her hands.  
\- …now I know that you do. she said and kept holding his hand. Thranduil smiled a little and stepped in front of her. He kept examining her face that was now completely without any magical colors which made Ylenia look somewhat fragile, although she had naturally dark eyebrows and lashes. Her ice-blue hair glowed in the pale moonlight and her skin looked almost as if had been made of fresh powder snow. So fair and enchanting.

\- So a leather chain and a good polish? the king whispered as he raised her hand on his lips and pressed a soft kiss on her knuckles. Ylenia nodded with a smile on her face and stared deep into the eyes of the handsome elf that soon leaned closer and closed his eyes. Ylenia closed her eyes as well and enjoyed the butterflies in her stomach. She felt the king placing his hand gently on her jaw so that he reached to brush her cheek with his thumb softly. Ylenia felt the king’s breath on her lips and soon his nose touched hers and finally his lips brushing hers just barely.

The king drew back just as Ylenia thought that he was about to kiss her. He got very close again and repeated this retreat a couple of times until he was unable to hold himself back any longer. Thranduil pressed his lips against hers, nibbled her lower lip playfully a couple of times and then lured her into a deep, passionate kiss that left them both breathless. Ylenia was still holding his hand, lovingly brushing Thranduil’s knuckles with her thumb although now that the kiss had occupied her mind, she let go the king’s hand and wrapped her arm around him, completely forgetting that her arm was still hurt. Thranduil guided Ylenia to press her hand on his heart. It was drumming rapidly against her palm and now that he had freed his hand, he wrapped it around her and embraced her tightly.

The king sank his fingers into Ylenia’s hair and pulled them softly to guide her into a position that exposed her neck. When he had her exactly as he wanted he abandoned her lips and moved to kiss her neck. First he just brushed the skin softly until he had to feel her pulse against his lips and make her heart beat faster again. Thranduil opened his mouth and pressed it firmly against Ylenia’s neck. He teased the skin a few times with the tip of his tongue and then massaged it sensuously with the entire width of it. He used his teeth a little every once in a while and sucked the skin, although he was careful not to leave any marks.

Ylenia moaned softly and her breathing got even heavier. She bit her lip unintentionally as the king ravished the delicate skin of her neck. He nibbled her earlobe and returned to kiss her lips again. “You are truly enchanting” he whispered just before he kissed her again. Ylenia felt shivers spreading all over her body when the king’s lips mapped hers and he even dared to slide his tongue inside her mouth. Ylenia encouraged her mind and met his tongue with hers. All these new sensations filled her mind and made her want more. She wanted to feel his skin against her, his hand touching her in all the inappropriate ways… the ways that she had only dreamed about while rolling in her bed, alone.

Oh, Ylenia had imagined the King in her bed many times. It was always the same dream; the king would crawl into her bed when she would be half asleep. He would kiss her lips and then slowly move on her neck, collarbones, open the lacing of her nightgown with his skillful fingers and without asking for an approval he would slide the dress down and reveal her breasts. After admiring her sleeping form for a moment the king would run his lips on her feminine curves and then, as soon has her nipples had responded to his touches, he would lick the area around the nipple before moving to caress nipples with his entire mouth. At the same time the king would continue his explorations further but this time lower. He would caress her ankle and then slowly move up under the fabric of the nightgown until he would reach her inner thighs. He would guide her to spread her legs for him, just a little, trace her lower lips teasingly and then return to kiss her lips, knowing that she is awake just as he-

Suddenly Ylenia winced and gasped against the king’s mouth. The kiss had heated up a little bit too much and she had forgotten to mind her arm. Thranduil stopped kissing Ylenia immediately and stepped a little further away. “What is wrong?” he asked and stared with a terrified look on his face at the woman he so deeply and passionately loved. Ylenia’s hair was all messed up, her lips red and swollen and her chest was heaving rapidly. She tried to smile but it was obvious that she was in a great pain. Thranduil remembered Ylenia’s arm and alarmed the healer right away.  
\- How thoughtless of me. he scolded himself, stepped a little closer and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.  
\- Don’t worry about it. she replied barely audible.  
\- But, my lady. You’re hurt. he mumbled and brushed her hair slowly, but this time he was careful not to hold her too tightly which could have twisted her arm or apply any pressure on her shoulder.  
\- I am… Ylenia said and just as she was about to say “fine” she remembered that the king needed to feel needed. She paused and then after a rethink continued  
\- …happy to have you taking care of me.

Thranduil pressed another kiss on Ylenia’s forehead and smiled. Of course he knew that Ylenia was perfectly capable of managing such a small thing on her own, surely she had gotten through worse on her own during her exile, but it meant a lot to Thranduil to hear her saying it. Thranduil held her until the healer rushed to the balcony and asked the king to leave for a moment. The healer helped the coat off Ylenia’s shoulders and examined her arm, tied it against her torso with a pillow in between the arm and the side so the arm had a possibility to rest in the right position and Ylenia wasn’t able to use it, not even if she wanted to.

Thranduil ordered the servants to prepare a quick, yet festive dinner for him and Ylenia because he was in a mood for a little celebration and he was sure that Ylenia was hungry. After eating in the great dining hall, in the soft candlelight Thranduil walked Ylenia to her private chamber and ordered a maid to run her a bath while the king kept the lady company. Ylenia sat on her bed and the king sat next to her, he took her hand and squeezed it gently. He kept brushing her knuckles, massaging her palm with circular motions and he even went through all her fingers one by one very carefully. Then he placed her hand back on her lap and repeated the same with her other hand; he brushed the knuckles as he held her hand, massaged the palm as well as her fingers.

\- Why did you have to go? the king asked when he was ready with the other hand as well. He lifted the hand on his lips and pressed a soft kiss on the back of her hand and then on her wrist. Thranduil pressed her hand against his cheek and held it there between his hand and soft, warm cheek.  
\- I had to clear my head. Ylenia answered as she traced his lips with her thumb very softly.  
\- Is it clear now? Thranduil asked and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of her palm against his cheek and her thumb tracing his lips that already missed kissing her. Ylenia stared at the hauntingly beautiful features of the Elf King knowing that her head would probably never be truly clear. She would be always torn between her love for him and her spirit that missed great adventures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to AranaiAdriana
> 
> I hope you liked this!


	11. The less innocent slip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff... and then smutty fluff... Just stop reading when it gets too smutty, if you don't like smut. There is no real plot in this chapter.
> 
> I figured that since we are... oh wow... 10 chapters in already... and this is the 11th... it is time to turn on the heat a little... because this story is also about the struggle between following the traditions and... one's desires :D  
> It is a kind of reoccurring theme :D conflicts between feelings and thoughts, staying and leaving, leading and following...  
> (No spoilers!)

The maid interrupted the conversation by informing that the bath was now ready. Ylenia stood up and asked Thranduil to help her with the healer’s arm-resting-pillow. The king stood up as well and bowed a little. He opened the knots very carefully and put the pillow with the bandages on the bed. He walked into the bathroom after making sure that Ylenia was not in any kind of pain. His attentiveness made Ylenia smile and feel incredibly appreciated. The truth was that the arm hurt, but the king had managed to pop it back to its place quite nicely so Ylenia was absolutely certain that with a few days of rest the arm would be as good as new.

Thranduil took a bag of Athelas leafs out from his pocket and emptied the content into the bathtub. He walked to a small table that hosted many small, precious looking bottles and he opened them one by one. They were bath oils and he smelled them to find the perfect one. Ylenia followed the king into the bathroom and watched his actions curiously. The king had the eye for details and perfection. Ylenia however knew the bath oils and her attention was mainly focused on the green, dried leafs that were floating on the surface of the bathwater.  
\- What’s that? Ylenia asked and pointed at the leafs.  
\- Athelas. It will help with the healing and ease the pain as you breathe in the steam. Thranduil answered and poured a few drops of a bath oil in the water. He had found one that he liked very much and he was hoping to smell it on Ylenia’s skin soon.  
\- Very kind of you. Ylenia commented with an amazed smile on her face. The king added a few more drops and smiled a little as he returned the bottle back to the table.  
\- It is the least I can do for you, my love. he answered and took Ylenia’s hand, lifted it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on the back of her hand. Ylenia sighed as a reaction to such kind and affectionate gesture. She stared into the king’s eyes. They looked mysterious in the soft candle light and whether Thranduil realized it himself, there was a new kind of spark in them and Ylenia noticed it. It made her get lost in her thoughts and her stomach fill with butterflies.

\- I should probably… Ylenia mumbled, unable to shift her gaze away from the king’s gorgeous eyes. The king cleared his throat and stepped a little bit further away just as he let go of her hand. This, the loss of his warm, strong hand holding hers made her skin ache and her heart feel almost like it was about to break, although it made no sense. This feeling, a need to have Thranduil near and have him touching her, holding her was completely new to Ylenia and it was making her head cloudy.  
\- Yes. Do you wish to see me after your bath or shall I kiss you goodnight now? the Elf King asked with a casual, yet warm tone… but it was apparent that he was taking some physical as well as mental distance.  
\- Aren’t you tired, my lord? Ylenia asked. She knew that the king had not been sleeping for two nights when Ylenia had been away and surely it had worn the great king down.  
\- Yes, but I could visit you very quickly. he suggested and smiled a little, although his smile was flirty, almost smirk-ish. There was also an undertone of playfulness in his voice although his tone was still appropriate and friendly. Ylenia didn’t know what to think. She wanted to see the king again, but meeting after a bath was quite intimate and especially to meet after the bath in the lady’s private chamber was a bit too bold. Ylenia walked out from the bathroom and spoke hesitantly  
\- Visit… here? I think it would be a little-  
\- Yes, you are right. the king agreed and followed Ylenia into her private sitting area. The king was silent and he seemed a little disappointed. He had missed Ylenia greatly and to just say goodnight like this felt a little sad in his opinion, although he would have never protested even if you had rejected his goodnight kiss.

\- But meet me in the garden. Ylenia suggested suddenly. She had started to loosen the lacing of her clothes and then stopped when she had come up with this idea of hers.  
\- Garden? Thranduil repeated curiously. Ylenia smiled and nodded a couple of times as a confirmation.  
\- Yes, garden is perfect during such a beautiful night. Very well. the King said with a smile on his face. He loved silent summer nights when it felt like he had been the only person awake in the entire world. Ylenia was happy to see her loved one so relaxed and without any worries. Thranduil was the king of the realm after all and he was so very often worried about something. Suddenly Ylenia realized that she had been walking in the same clothes, falling down a few times and fought her way through some thick bushes during the past few days and therefore she said  
\- Although it might take a while because I need a good scrub. I smell like-

\- An autumn forest. Thranduil said without hesitation. Thranduil was sometimes very blunt about things but he was a master of words and graceful expressions if he felt like it. This was one of the many examples of this kind of courtesy; he could have told Ylenia that she smelled like rotten leafs and dead creatures but he didn’t. He refused to use such crude words because in his opinion “an autumn forest” sounded more poetic without being rude or making Ylenia feel embarrassed. He knew that Ylenia was probably painfully aware about the matter herself and there was no reason to make her feel worse about it. He knew that she had been in the forest a few days, most likely lacking a bath and therefore she smelled like a forest. If Ylenia had been anyone else, the king most likely would have just said “death”… or “disgusting” and added a fake-polite smirk to it.  
\- Well, that is a nice way of putting it. Ylenia chuckled slightly nervously.  
\- Take all the time you need. I am patient, I can wait. Thranduil said, walked to the door, ordered a maid to bring a carafe of wine to Ylenia and help her to get undressed as soon as the king had left the room.  
\- Although, the time seems to stand still every time I am waiting for you. Thranduil added after he had closed the door.  
\- Oh, my poor king. Ylenia sighed and smiled. She tried to look as adorable as she possibly could and it made the king laugh. He had a great, strong laughter and Ylenia hoped that he laughed more although he now laughed much more compared to when Ylenia had met him for the first time.  
\- Give me an hour. Ylenia said and walked the Elf King to the door. She watched him walking along the long corridor and then turning a corner and disappearing from her sight. She saw the maid approaching to her room as requested with a wine carafe and Ylenia left the door open for her. The maid put the tray hosting a beautiful wineglass and the carafe on the table and then helped Ylenia to get undressed. After that the maid left and wished Ylenia a relaxing bath and a very good night. 

Ylenia poured herself a glass of wine and stepped into the bathtub. She sat down and relaxed, inhaled slowly and filled her lungs with the steam that made her aches disappear. Of course she knew Athelas because she had been growing it herself during her life at the cottage and even before that but she had never used it like this. Ylenia emptied the wineglass slowly, one sip at a time and poured herself another glass… and a third one, the elvish wine was so sweet and delicious that one drank it a little too much without even noticing. After soaking in the warm, scented water for almost an hour Ylenia suddenly remembered telling the king to come back after an hour. She cursed and almost tipped over a small table right next to the bathtub as she got out from the warm water.

Thranduil was on time, he always was but he was able to see through the curtains, only shapes but still, that Ylenia was getting dressed so he waited patiently until he thought that it was safe to approach the door and let her know that he was waiting in the garden. The king knocked on the door that led from the garden into Ylenia’s room. Ylenia had just barely gotten dressed in a light nightgown and a dressing robe and was drying her hair with a towel when she heard the soft knocks. Ylenia took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind that was lightly clouded from the elven wine. Before opening the door Ylenia hung the towel to dry and took one final look in the mirror to make sure that she looked acceptable. Thranduil bowed when Ylenia opened the door. She asked him to wait for a moment, disappeared from the doorway to get her simple slippers and came back with them. Then they both sneaked silently into the dark garden after Thranduil had helped Ylenia with the arm-support-pillow, to put it on again to be exact.

The night was silent and beautiful. There was no wind and the sky was clear so there were thousands of stars decorating the night sky, also the moon was there and it had climbed quite high up. It illuminated everything with pale, yet soft light and made it easier to navigate in the darkness, although the king knew the garden inside out and the elves had perfect eyesight even in the dark. Thranduil had visited the goldsmith during the wait and the stone pendant had been polished. Now it glowed blue in the moonlight as he wore it over his tunic with a leather chain.

Ylenia looked around and after making sure that there were no guards around, she took the king’s hand and led him deeper because there was a place that she loved and visited regularly. Ylenia tried to keep silent even though the situation made her very excited, which was completely new and unexpected to her and this excitement came out as laughter. Ylenia and Thranduil sneaked even deeper into the garden until Ylenia stopped by a gorgeous fountain which was actually a natural spring. The water formed a small pool that sparkled in the moonlight and continued as a lively stream through the garden.  
\- Oh, this secretive sneaking around makes my heart race. Ylenia stated and chuckled as she pressed her hand on her heart.  
\- I wonder whether it is going to stop or burst. she added and tried to calm it down by breathing deeply.  
\- May I? Thranduil asked with a somewhat shy tone. Ylenia chuckled nervously and nodded after hesitating a little. Thranduil pressed his hand on her heart and despite of those two layers of fabric his touch felt more real and intimate than before.  
\- Yes, you are indeed correct. Thranduil said but he didn’t remove his hand since Ylenia was not stepping away or rejecting him. He stepped a little bit closer and encouraged his mind to say  
\- I hope that one day your heart will race like this because of me.

The comment made Ylenia blush quite heavily but she didn’t step away. It meant that she welcomed his touch and perhaps some innocent flirting as well. Thranduil monitored Ylenia constantly. She was clearly waiting for the king to make a move or perhaps to say something. Thranduil however didn’t want to spoil the moment and scare the lady away so he decided to step back a little bit, just to see her reaction to such sudden withdrawal. Ylenia sighed with an undertone of light disappointment in her sigh. She felt a little bit tipsy, very relaxed and nothing was even aching… and all this combined with the magical night, she would have wanted the king to make a move… but not that one. Ylenia decided to be a little bolder and after gathering her wits she commented  
\- Oh, I think you know a trick or two to make my heart drum even faster.  
\- I see… the king smirked. He however didn’t step any closer and actually he only stepped a bit further away from Ylenia when she took steps closer to the king without her even realizing it herself. The king towered in front of her like a magnificent piece of art, he glowed hauntingly like the high elves did, his hair… always so perfect and his handsome features following every move Ylenia made. The king was almost like a dangerous, yet beautiful predator that was waiting for the perfect time to attack. This made Ylenia feel almost helpless which was a feeling that she usually hated but now it intrigued her. Danger was her element after all and she felt most alive when there was excitement in the air… this however was something completely different kind of excitement… maybe even… arousal.

\- And these… tricks… Have you been thinking about them, my lady? the king asked as he walked behind a large tree. Ylenia stood in the moonlight knowing that the king was staring at her, waiting for her answer.  
\- Perhaps. she said and felt her face turning red again, just as it had managed to return to normal a moment ago.  
\- You are blushing, my lady. Thranduil teased as he walked her. He put his hand above her shoulder but he didn’t let himself touch her. Ylenia however felt his warmth radiating even through the dressing gown that was covering her shoulders. Ylenia waited for a moment and then turned around. Thranduil however was not there which made Ylenia sigh out of frustration. She liked this game and decided that she was capable of playing it as well. Therefore Ylenia walked into the shadow and leaned onto a tree as she hid herself away from plain sight. She felt the bark with her fingertips, savoring every feeling, smell and sound.

Thranduil knew that there was a line that he couldn’t cross but he enjoyed a little bit of harmless flirting, especially when it assured him about Ylenia’s feelings; that she wanted him and desired him also physically. Thranduil walked in the shadows as silently as the elves could. This time he was wearing a black tunic so he was literally making no sound at all since even the hem of his long robe was not rustling as he walked, giving away his location. The color of his shirt made it quite easy to disappear into the shadow, although the elvish glowing was making hiding a little bit more challenging… But the Elf King liked challenges.

Ylenia knew that she was being very bold but she had never been in love before so all these feelings were new to her and on a gorgeous night like this she felt free to explore all the new, exciting sensations, both physical as well as emotional. She walked silently in the shadows, hoping to walk into the king but also fearing it at the same time. The reason for wanting to bump into Thranduil was to see what would happen next and the reason for fearing it was that she wanted to tell the king about her dreams because for a moment she didn’t feel embarrassed about them. Ylenia also wanted to hear if the king had ever thought about her when he rolled alone in his bed.

Suddenly Ylenia heard the king speaking behind her with a soft, seducing tone  
\- Tell me, my lady-  
\- Yes, my lord? Ylenia answered with a shaky voice. This was no place to be Ylenia the Coward and therefore she turned around to face the king.  
\- …have you had dreams about me? Thranduil asked and walked closer. He put his hand on Ylenia’s neck and felt the cool skin with his fingertips in slow, round movements. He leaned closer and brushed her neck with his lips from the other side. He guided her to tilt her head a little which gave him a better access to the skin just below her ear. Thranduil breathed her scent in, it was an intoxicating mixture of the sweet wine, his favorite bath oil and Ylenia that surrounded him completely. He blew hot air on her skin, down from her neckline and then returned to brush the spot where her neck met her shoulder met with his lips, just… so very… lightly.  
\- Oh, well… Ylenia sighed as she enjoyed this slow seduction. It was exactly how she had hoped to be and she could feel the need within herself growing stronger by every passing second.  
\- Come-come, there is no one else around, just you and me. Thranduil whispered into her ear. Ylenia gasped sharply when the king suddenly sucked her earlobe. Ylenia was battling in the crossroads; if she told the king about her private dreams, it might make it more likely that that dream would come true someday, but then again, if she told him about it, would she be able to look him into eyes ever again?

\- Surely you can tell your king. Thranduil whispered and drew back to look into Ylenia’s eyes again. The king’s gaze was intense and it made her feel like he was going to know the answer even if Ylenia didn’t admit anything. Thranduil smirked as he felt her lips with his without properly kissing her and suddenly he stepped away leaving Ylenia rub her tingly lips with her fingertips.  
\- Yes, I’ve had some… dreams. Ylenia admitted because it was quite obvious and therefore there was no point to lie.  
\- In these dreams of yours… the king asked curiously. Ylenia cleared her throat and tried to gather the bits and pieces of her composure, despite the fact that her face was probably red as a tomato and her heart was beating so fast and loudly that the elf was surely able to hear it.  
\- Yes… my lord? Ylenia asked with as casual tone as possible.  
\- Do you desire me? Thranduil asked. He tilted his head and smirked curiously. Ylenia swallowed and turned her gaze away from Thranduil involuntarily.  
\- Oh, that is the most definite yes. he stated.  
\- And… Do I desire you? the Elf King asked.  
\- In my dreams? Ylenia asked with a shaky tone. She decided to dare to meet his intense gaze because she didn’t want to be a coward now.  
\- Yes. the king replied as he nodded slowly, never leaving his eyes from hers.  
\- Yes, my lord. In my dreams you… Yes. Ylenia answered. She noticed that her breathing was shallow but at the same time she felt more alive than ever before this night. She knew that she was being bold and crossing lines but it didn’t matter because the whole situation, the moment, felt entirely surreal and she enjoyed it.

\- Well, go on. the king said with an evaluating tone.  
\- In my dream, you find me sleeping. Ylenia began. Thranduil smirked a little and encouraged her to tell more. Ylenia swallowed once and after a moment she continued  
\- You… crawl into my bed and kiss me… to wake me up.  
\- I think you are leaving out some details, my lady. Thranduil stated and winked his eye at her.  
\- What-what… makes you-uhm… assume so? Ylenia stammered nervously. Thranduil disappeared into the shadows again and all that Ylenia was able to hear was his laughter, echoing in the dark garden. “Why… do you think so?” Ylenia asked again and suddenly she felt the king’s hand on her waist, pulling her against him from behind. The king leaned closer to whisper into her ear  
\- Because I would do… so much more.  
\- I wouldn’t know about any… of that. Ylenia commented and turned her head as the king guided her to by placing his hand under her chin and then moving his hand on her throat to keep her in that position. The pose was threatening and very intriguing. Ylenia knew that she was on the king’s mercy and the king had a straight view onto her clothed chest that was by turns falling and rising rapidly. Thranduil was assertive but very gentle, he released her as he shifted his hand on her shoulder and massaged it with round movements which was very relaxing. Thranduil massaged Ylenia’s neck as well with his one hand while he kept the other wrapped around her and holding her standing in front of him, very close and very still.  
\- Shall I tell you… or would you rather have me show you instead? Thranduil asked with a mysterious, low voice and slid his hand a little bit higher from Ylenia’s waist, right under her breasts, but still making sure that he was not actually touching them.  
\- Now? Ylenia gasped with a surprised tone and turned around to face the king.  
\- Yes, we are alone and the world is asleep. Thranduil said and brushed Ylenia’s hair softly as it cascaded from her head onto her shoulders. Ylenia didn’t say anything, she had lost all her rational thoughts and the only thing that was left was the new feeling which was an intoxicating mixture of hunger, need and desire.  
\- Perhaps… you are not brave enough to hear. the king teased and stepped away from Ylenia. He was just about to disappear into the shadows, to continue this seductive game when Ylenia suddenly said  
\- Show me.

Thranduil walked to Ylenia, wrapped his arm around her, minding her arm all the time and lay her on the soft grass. He made sure that there were no guards or other people around and then got on his all fours on her. “Close your eyes” he whispered and when she did, he leaned closer to kiss her. He pressed his lips on hers but instead of kissing her, he just teased her with soft brushes and a few licks that were so light that Ylenia was unable to tell for sure if she was only imagining it or if it had actually happened. She was about to place her hands on his cheeks because she wanted him to kiss her properly when Thranduil reminded her that she was sleeping.

\- Now… the king whispered as he drew back a little. He ran his finger on her face, traced her lips and then continued to her chin, neck and collarbones. He was surprised how calmly Ylenia was breathing as she lay under him. The elf’s fingers drew random shapes on the skin of her neckline, staying strictly on the areas where the skin was exposed by her clothes. Thranduil’s fingers found the knot of her dressing gown and slowly he untied the laces and opened the robe. “First I need to free you from your nightgown” he whispered. His voice filled Ylenia’s mind and she was completely sure that the elf was smirking at her.

\- I would stop to admire you for a moment… he said and memorized every curve of her torso before sliding the dressing robe off her shoulders a little. This action exposed her shoulders and it was the furthest of undressing that he was going to go, this time.  
\- You look exquisite, all mine to touch… Your beautiful, soft curves… all exposed, but only for me. Thranduil described. He imagined Ylenia without her nightgown, which was rather easy because her nightgown was made of a fabric that embraced her curves almost like a second skin.  
The Elf King moved his fingers from the neckline of her nightgown and touched her between her breasts very softly. He ran his fingertips on the silky, light fabric slowly back and forth, sometimes getting closer to her breasts and when he did, he traced the shape lightly, constantly monitoring Ylenia for a sign for any discomfort or rejection, there however were none so the king dared to move closer to her nipple that had gotten a little hard from the cool night air.

\- No one has ever touched you like this, I am your first. Thranduil spoke into her ear with a soft, low voice and shifted his eyes from her face onto her heaving chest. He cupped Ylenia’s breast and massaged it very lightly as he returned to kiss her lips. He pinched her nipple suddenly which sent shivers all over Ylenia’s body and made her gasp for air as she arched her back a little. The king used this opportunity to claim her mouth and he engaged her lips into a deep, passionate kiss. Thranduil continued massaging the breast and now he caressed also the nipple almost constantly.

\- You feel heavenly, my lady. he moaned against her mouth and moved his knee between her legs, forcing her to open them a little. Thranduil slid his tongue into her mouth and dared Ylenia to respond his kiss with the same passion. Ylenia nibbled the king’s lower lip a few times with her teeth and smoothened the light sting with a gentle suck. Thranduil shifted himself and repeated everything with her other breast, just as slowly as he had done with the first one. He was patient and his hand didn’t slip under the fabric of her nightgown even once which made Ylenia trust and want Thranduil even more.  
Thranduil moved to kiss Ylenia’s neck. He devoured the sensitive skin with his entire mouth, using his lips, tongue and even a little bit of teeth. He nibbled and sucked lightly and then pressed his hot mouth against the cool skin and massaged it with his tongue while his hand caressed her breast in a very arousing and exciting way which made Ylenia moan softly despite of her best efforts to stay silent. Her breathing had turned into sharp gasps and erratic panting which made the Elf King feel very proud of himself. He had never used this much time with her random conquests which made this very special. He also knew that there was a strict line that he wasn’t allowed to cross with her… not even if she begged for it.

Thranduil moved to kiss Ylenia’s shoulders, collarbones and neckline. He breathed her scent in and drew random shapes on her skin with his tongue and then blew hot air on it. He moved to kiss her nipple through the fabric and sucked it gently. He shifted his knee a little closer to her womanhood and added a little pressure as he leaned forward. He pulled back to monitor Ylenia’s reaction when he repeated this and for his surprise Ylenia moved her hips involuntarily to gain more contact with him to the most private and sensitive areas.

Thranduil reached to caress Ylenia’s outer thigh with his hand and gathered the hem of her dress as he returned to kiss her lips again. When he had pulled the hem up to her knees he shifted his other knee between her legs and lowered himself on her. Thranduil pressed his lips against hers firmly and started to kiss her with hunger that was almost like a raging forest fire after a long drought. Ylenia had managed to keep her hand on the grass, sometimes grabbing the straws intensely, just to anchor herself into the reality but she didn’t think that she would be able to stay so still for much longer.  
\- Now, wake up. he demanded against her lips. Ylenia tangled her fingers immediately into the collar of the king’s tunic and opened a few buttons so she was able to caress his strong, muscled chest with her fingertips. Ylenia opened a few more, all of them eventually and slid her hand under the fabric. The king continued kissing her and she returned to his kisses with the same passion as she slid her hand on his back and pulled him closer. Thranduil moved rhythmically on her and it was getting obvious that the king was highly aroused as well. Ylenia felt the king’s hardened flesh pressing against her most sensitive areas through all the layers of fabric every time the king moved forward or grinded himself against her.

\- I need to feel you… Ylenia moaned and wrapped her leg just under the king’s behind which intensified the sensations for both.  
\- I cannot… touch you. the Elf King panted and pulled back a little to stare into Ylenia’s ice-blue eyes that were now darkened from hunger. Ylenia sighed because she was aware of that herself as well but on the other hand she felt that her body would physically ache if she didn’t feel him now. Thranduil crossed his fingers with hers and brought them to his lips. He kissed her knuckles and massaged them with his tongue as he stared deep into her eyes in the pale moonlight which made her skin glow like fresh snow on a cold winter night.  
\- I cannot touch you… but you can touch yourself. he said and smirked.

\- What, now? Ylenia gasped. She couldn’t help drowning into the king’s eyes that were now also darkened from the need.  
\- The world sleeps, my lady. This is only a dream… he spoke with a sultry tone and then guided her hand on her thigh. Ylenia swallowed once hesitantly.  
\- Touch yourself like I do in your dreams. the king said and returned to kiss her red, swollen lips that were tingling and hungry for more. Thranduil felt Ylenia seeking the hem of her nightgown and then moving her hand under the fabric as she felt the soft skin of her inner thigh, slowly getting higher.  
\- Just like that… But… slower, my lady. Take your time… just like I would. the king spoke with a smirk on his face. Ylenia slid her hand a little lower and then slowly got higher until her hand was between their bodies. She felt the king’s bulge curiously and for her pleasant surprise the king moaned quite loudly and moved himself against her hand a few times but then he stopped.  
\- Oh, that was wonderful, my love, but they are my fingers and I would focus on you, my lady. he chuckled. Ylenia bit her lip and shifted her hand on her womanhood and caressed her lower lips with light strokes that were almost torturing her because she had never wanted anything or anyone so much as she now wanted the king.

Thranduil stared into her eyes while Ylenia teased herself. “Are you aroused for me?” he asked with a smirk. Ylenia pressed her finger between her lower lips and felt the hot skin back and forth a little. She was dripping and slightly embarrassed about it. “I bet you taste wonderful” the elf murmured into her ear and pressed his hard flesh against Ylenia’s hand which made her finger get pressed firmly against her most sensitive spot. Thranduil drew back and repeated his action, his slow, intense thrusts that moved Ylenia’s finger against her sensitive areas, making her moan and plead for more.  
\- Look into my eyes, my love. Let me see you. the king demanded softly as he kept moving with steady, slow rhythm, getting Ylenia closer to her release with every intense thrust. Ylenia opened her eyes as she caressed herself a little bit faster and after a moment she felt the world around her fading away and a warm wave of pleasure mixed with intense relaxation washing over her. Thranduil slowed down his movements and smiled as he examined the face of her loved one. Ylenia was glowing, returning from the heights, smiling as well.

\- What about you, my lord? she asked after her breathing had returned normal and she was once more able to think.  
\- There is time for me to get my release. This night was for you, my lady. Thranduil replied and kissed the corner of her mouth softly. Ylenia put her hand on the king’s jaw and stroked his lips with her fingers softly without realizing that some of them were still covered with her arousal. Suddenly the king opened his mouth and took two of her her fingers in, sucked and played with them with his tongue. “Mmm, sweeter than wine” he murmured when he had licked them clean. Ylenia had never heard a comment like that and it made her blush again. Thranduil smirked in a very flirty way and reached to kiss her again. Thranduil kissed Ylenia passionately at first and then slowly the kiss subsided into small, playful kisses and brushes.

\- But… make no mistake, my lady, I will be thinking about you when I’ll pleasure myself tonight. he added, pressed one last kiss on Ylenia’s tingling lips, got up and helped Ylenia up as well. Ylenia straightened her dress that was all wrinkled and stained with grass bits. She felt great but a little embarrassed after such intimate event. She was no quite sure how she had allowed herself to do those things and she was feeling somewhat conflicted about it; on the other hand she felt closer to the king than ever before and she even trusted him more now, but then again… lines had been crossed and she didn’t know how to face the king in the morning. Everything was so much easier when it was dark and the world was asleep. 

Thranduil noticed that something was bothering Ylenia but he didn’t dare to ask her what it was. There was actually no need because he already knew; maybe some lines that shouldn’t have been crossed had been in fact crossed and he decided that from now on he would take it slow, even if it required a massive amount of self-restraint. The Elf King walked Ylenia back to her chamber, pressed one soft kiss on her forehead and mumbled against her skin  
\- This was only a dream… It never happened. No need to feel ashamed because I love you. 

Ylenia wrapped her arm around Thranduil and snuggled closer in the warm, safe and pleasantly tight embrace. Ylenia’s mind was spinning from the previous evens despite the fact that elvish wine was leaving her body, which had a unpleasantly sobering effect. Ylenia tensed up a little as she tried to figure out ways to process this… but she didn’t regret it. Ylenia decided firmly as she pressed a few soft kisses on the Elf King’s bare chest that she would never regret what had happened, however this kind of slips couldn’t become a habit. Thranduil enjoyed the feeling of Ylenia’s lips on his chest and after a moment of tender, innocent intimacy he continued  
\- You are truly mesmerizing, my love… But from now on we’ll take it slow. We'll have all the time in the world for this kind of pleasures… later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to livinginlothlorien as a thank you for your comment... 
> 
> I hope you didnt get traumatized for such dedication. I don't usually dedicate smut-chapters... but this was... well... fluffy smut.


	12. "I am ready"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long-ass wait! (Sorry about that) The story continues.
> 
> A little bit of smut ahead... nothing too adventurous or anything.
> 
> So, previously, Thranduil seduced Ylenia after she had returned from her journey (the visit at her old cottage) and they agreed to wait patiently until they are married.

Ylenia stepped away from Thranduil because it was time to let the king retire to his own chamber. Thranduil took her hand, bowed deeply and pressed a kiss on her knuckles as a goodbye. He turned away and let her hand go, although Ylenia kept holding onto his and almost stopping him from leaving. Ylenia sighed when she lost the feeling of the Elf King holding her hand and the whole moment felt like it she had lived it on slow motion; the last long looks before Thranduil had turned away, the heartbreaking loss of contact and the realization that the dream was now over. Ylenia knew the rules, she knew that she had broken quite many already but now that she had had a chance to taste intimacy, a little piece of heaven, she wanted… no, needed more.

Ylenia watched Thranduil disappearing into the shadowy garden and she felt like she had been dying. Every cell of her being was screaming to be touched, caressed and loved and therefore she couldn’t let Thranduil just leave, if she did, she would surely suffer terribly and perhaps even die… or that was what she felt at the current moment. It was like an unexpected rush of emotions and desperation that was consuming her and demanding her to disregard all the rules and act upon her long-suppressed desires. Ylenia was a somewhat impulsive person and she lacked strength to resist temptations, although usually she tried to do the right thing. Ylenia knew that the right thing right now was to let the king leave and to go into her chamber alone, go to bed and forget such temptations that were really messing up her head and making her step away from the path that she should have followed… but on the other hand, there was no one left to judge her… or that was what she chose to believe.

Ylenia held her breath and battled with the physical pain of not having Thranduil close. She had never needed anyone before, she had always been independent and kept her distance and she had never known that loving someone and then having that someone touching her skin would make her feel so alive, almost like she had never been hurt before. But it was not the right thing to do… or maybe it was. Maybe it was the right thing to do because when she had been close to the Elf King, it had not felt dirty or wrong. Ylenia trusted Thranduil more than anyone and he had opened some doors in Ylenia’s mind; doors to emotions, desires and needs that had been locked and quite frankly, she had not even known that any of those qualities existed in her.

\- Wait! she whispered suddenly after going back and forth with what she should do. After few seconds she saw the tall elf walking back with a somewhat worried look on his face. He looked confused and cautious because he was concerned that something was wrong. Thranduil had not gone far but he had been very surprised to hear the silent call, which sounded more like a cry, breaking the silence.  
\- My lady, is everything alright? he asked immediately when he reappeared from the shadows. Ylenia extended her hand to him and when Thranduil took it, still puzzled of what was going on, she opened the door to her room and led Thranduil in. The room was dark and Ylenia asked the Elf King to light a candle or two. Thranduil lighted the candles and then noticed Ylenia taking off her dressing robe. She slid it slowly off her shoulders and it fell to the floor, right at her feet. Then she slid the nightgown off her shoulders as well, which left her standing naked a couple of meters away from Thranduil, facing away from him.

Thranduil stared at Ylenia’s form silently. The subtle candlelight made her skin look soft and perfect and hid her well-defined muscles which made her look slim and delicate like the elves. Ylenia had wider hips and shoulders than the elves, a round butt and strong thighs, back and arms but her waist was still quite thin, not as thin as the elves’ though. She was very proportional although she was bigger than the elf ladies, but her size made her look very eye-catching and influential, someone who was not to be messed around with. 

Thranduil walked to Ylenia and put his hands on her shoulders. The king was cautious about her arm that ached when it was being twisted or touched, Ylenia however put a spell on herself to block the aches even though she most likely was to pay for such reckless action tomorrow; when she couldn’t feel her arm hurting, it was easy to forget that it was injured. “What are you doing?” he whispered into her ear with a soft, calm voice that carried a subtle undertone of confusion in it. The tone made Ylenia feel slightly embarrassed and exposed; was Thranduil going to reject her and make her feel ridiculous for offering herself so eagerly to him? Ylenia turned around and breathed nervously in, held her breath and finally exhaled slowly. She stared at the chest of the king and then raised her chin to meet Thranduil’s gaze. She was not nervous of being naked in front of him, but she was afraid of being rejected.

\- My love? Thranduil asked after a moment of silence, still keeping his voice calm and almost emotionless, almost like he had been trying to hide his feelings and the fact that he, the mighty elven king who was the true image of patience, calmness and wisdom, wanted her. Yes, Thranduil wanted her even though he knew it to be inappropriate and going against the expectations of the society and most importantly, against his character. However there was something about Ylenia that was constantly steering him off from the familiar path, luring him to give in to the desires and to act upon them. It was exactly what had tempted him to seduce her before and to ignore the rules of well-mannered courtship.

\- Do you desire me? Ylenia asked with a soft, shaky tone. She was usually pretty accomplished at reading people but now, standing naked in the soft candlelight right in front of the Elf King she couldn’t read Thranduil at all. Was he displeased with her form? Was he perhaps angry for her boldness?  
\- Of course! Thranduil stated without hesitation because it was a rather silly question, especially knowing that had told her quite openly that he would think about her while pleasuring himself. The thought of Thranduil stroking his hard flesh while thinking about Ylenia would have made her blush any other day but not tonight. Oh no, tonight the mental image of the king’s pleasure excited the Northern Witch and made her anxious to see the Elf King on the moment of his release. Ylenia was curious to know what kind of noises the king would make, would he close his eyes or keep them open? Would he pleasure himself slowly and deny himself a quick satisfaction, would he take his time and tease himself, savoring every feeling and thought or would lose control of his actions? Oh... such a delicious thought, both of them.

Ylenia smirked at the king mischievously as she played the mental image of small droplets of sweat appearing on the king’s chest, the sight of the king’s member getting harder as his hand stroked it firmly, the sound of panting mixed with the sound of his heart drumming beneath his ribcage… The picture was intriguing and intoxicating, it filled Ylenia with curiosity and passion, however her thoughts were soon interrupted when Thranduil continued almost immediately by saying “But-“ with a somewhat hesitant tone.

\- Please, no buts. Ylenia pleaded almost desperately and added “I want to dream a little longer” as a soft whisper that escaped her rosy lips and captured Thranduil’s mind like it had been a spell.  
\- But my lady, my love… I shouldn’t… Thranduil gasped as Ylenia placed her hands on his chest and slid the opened tunic off his wide, firmly muscled shoulders. The garment fell on the floor, right at Thranduil’s feet and left the king standing in his trousers in front of her. “We shouldn’t…” he sighed but his words were interrupted by a soft “Shhh” as Ylenia pressed her index finger on the warm, soft king’s lips that never had looked quite so welcoming.  
\- Who is there to judge? she asked and moved her hand from his chest on his neck. Ylenia felt the warm skin with her fingertips, traced his ear and then pleaded “Just… kiss me” with a silent and flirtatious but slightly desperate tone. She traced his lips softly with her thumb and rubbed his lower lip with slow yet somewhat intense movements, luring him to open his mouth and moan softly when she found a particularly sensitive spot on his neck, just under his earlobe. Thranduil gathered his wits and stated as firmly as he could  
\- I want you, more than I can tell, but-

\- You have waited four hundred years, my king. Ylenia spoke softly and after smiling at the king sweetly, although her smile had a spark of mischievousness hidden deep behind the innocence, she continued “Forget your worries, just let them go, my dearest.” Thranduil felt his mind filling with velvety haze as he listened to Ylenia’s words that she spoke with deep, soft tone. She spoke words of love and adoration, encouraged the king to take what was his and to give her what was hers. “It is time, I am ready” Ylenia added but when she said these words, she felt something… something getting unlocked deep in her mind, almost like those words had set to motion… something that would grow to define her character. Ylenia however ignored it completely and concentrated her full focus on Thranduil.

Thranduil knew that his resistance would soon crumble down if his loved one kept luring him to the unknown paths like this. It was almost like all his life he had been walking on a straight road, always knowing where he was going and never stepping astray… until Ylenia’s path had crossed his. Now he felt like he had noticed a string of blue flames in the dark forest, leading away from the straight, familiar road and if he listened carefully, he could hear a gentle whisper in the air, calling him and telling him to follow the lights to the unfamiliar territories.

What made Ylenia so enchanting was that she was a mixture of ice and fire; she was impulsive and sometimes acted without considering her options thoroughly, she was intense and capturing, like a flame that had a potential to grow into raging wildfire. However she was also a master of ice, a creature of the North which also made her unpredictable… a mystery. She was always slightly out of reach, mesmerizing and ethereal like the freezing cold twilight that changed into the clearest starry night in the middle of the winter… so beautiful yet dangerous. 

Ylenia couldn’t be captured and that terrified Thranduil a little; could he trust her or would the Elf King be doomed if he trusted the Witch of the North? Yes, doomed to love her desperately, intensely and in the ways that were in fact uncommon for his character… to lose control and maybe even lose his life if the Northern Wind called the Witch to new adventures someday. Ylenia had the power to make the Elf King unimaginably happy, but she also possessed a power to rip it all apart, to crush his heart and make the world crumble down at her feet. Maybe Ylenia did not see it herself but Thranduil knew this with intuition as well as the wisdom that had been gained through long years of his life and this was why Thranduil had to resist, especially now that he had learned just a couple of days ago about the new powers that Ylenia possessed. The Elf King knew that resisting Ylenia’s captivating charm would be challenging but he had to try at least and therefore he said  
\- But-

\- You can sneak out before the sun rises or we can walk proudly together in the morning through the palace. Ylenia spoke and shifted her ice-blue eyes from Thranduil’s lips into his eyes. “I am not ashamed of this” she stated firmly because she could sense hesitation… perhaps even rejection which was something that she couldn’t understand; what was Thranduil so afraid of? He was the king, she was going to be his queen soon… or within a reasonable time at least. Therefore in Ylenia’s opinion it made no difference if they surrendered to the desire just this once or if they began the marital life now, even though the union had not been made official yet. This, marrying one another, however was surely going to follow in few short years, besides Ylenia and Thranduil would have been married already if there had not been certain delays. 

Ylenia shivered from the cool air and leaned closer to Thranduil to enjoy the warmth that was radiating from his body. “I am not either” Thranduil said with a sincere tone, still holding onto the bits and pieces of his sanity even though it was slowly melting away as he drowned into the icy depths of her eyes. Ylenia smiled in return, she was relieved and pleased at the same time and Thranduil could read this from her face; her smile was flirtatious and victorious but also innocent and sweet, a strange combination of a shy maiden and a seductive temptress.

Ylenia slid her hand from Thranduil’s neck to his shoulder, mapped out the muscles on his chest and stomach, always stopping to admire the king’s flawless physique. She traced the leather string around his neck, felt the smooth yet cold surface of the moonstone-pendant and pressed her hand on it to gesture that the pendant, the priceless heirloom gem of the witches, belonged now to Thranduil, just like Ylenia's heart. She blocked the king’s hesitation with soft words of love and with simple “shhh” –gestures. Ylenia drew random shapes on the elf’s sides and stomach, sometimes daring to trace the leather belt on the king’s hips and occasionally slipping her fingers under the fabric of his trousers. In those cases she surprised the king with cold fingers which sent shivers along his spine and captured the imagination of the tall, majestic elf. The Northern Witch leaned a bit closer so she was able to reach the king’s firm behind. She felt it through the fabric and sometimes even under it. It was very apparent that Thranduil was enjoying her slow explorations because Ylenia was able to feel him getting aroused and the feeling of his large, semi-hard manhood pressing against her lower stomach encouraged Ylenia to move forward with her seduction.

\- My… Thranduil said and gasped “lady” when Ylenia’s hand traveled lower from his stomach, feeling the well-defined bulge through the fabric of his trousers. Ylenia traced the shape and felt the size with her fingertips as she moved her hand from Thranduil’s chin behind his neck and pulled him to kiss her.  
This time Thranduil obeyed and leaned closer to kiss her. The king pressed his lips on hers and started exploring them with great care. Thranduil however did not dare to deepen the kiss and let himself go to the desire because he was still undecided whether this was a good idea or not. Ylenia however used every opportunity and every time Thranduil moaned as a reaction to her caresses lower, she nibbled and gently sucked the elf’s lower lip and sometimes even slid her cold tongue into his mouth where it was met by his hot and extremely skillful tongue. Ylenia used her powers to vary from hot to cold which aroused the elf even more, she also weaved her spells to subtly intoxicate the Elf King so he would just stop resisting and surrender to the passion.

\- Tell me, what have you been dreaming about? Ylenia spoke against Thranduil’s lips. She bit his lower lip a little as she intensified her caresses on his member that had now gotten fully erect. Ylenia could even feel the veins on his shaft through the fabric as the member throbbed against her palm. Thranduil gasped as a reaction and jerked a little as a sudden wave of pleasure hit him.  
\- This is just a dream. Ylenia whispered and moved her hand towards the tip. Oh, she wanted to free the king’s manhood from the tight trousers and get more intimately acquainted with it. Ylenia was certain that the elf wanted it just as much she did and surely he would soon give in. “Tell me, is it my lips, my tongue?” she asked and licked Thranduil’s lips teasingly. “Would you like me to suck your…” she continued and gasped against his lips as she felt Thranduil jerking again. “…Hard… majestic…” she sighed and chuckled a little as Thranduil threw his head back for a moment and moaned “No”.  
\- Are you sure? Ylenia asked teasingly. 

\- No… Thranduil sighed. He was torn in two; on the other hand he wanted nothing more but to surrender to the temptation and seduction but on the other hand he knew that he was breaking so many rules and crossing far too many boundaries if he let himself to give in. Ylenia noticed the hesitation in the king’s tone but instead of stopping her caresses she released his neck and moved her hand on his shoulder as she moved her lips from his to his neck. Ylenia planted an openmouthed kiss on the sensitive spot, using her tongue, lips and teeth to give him pleasure. She nibbled his earlobe a couple of times and described with whispers how he made her feel burning hot and tingly inside, how she was already dripping wet and needed to be touched.

Ylenia abandoned Thranduil’s neck and moved lower. She pressed her mouth against his chest and felt the smooth skin with her lips as well as her tongue, slowly as her hand kept feeling his hard flesh through his trousers. Her other hand found the highly decorated belt buckle that was made of silver by the finest goldsmith in the whole realm and after tracing the engraved decorations with her fingertips, she started slowly opening the belt.  
\- Would you like to touch me? Ylenia asked after opening the belt. She slid her hand from his belt up on his stomach, to his chest, shoulder and down to his fingers along his arm, tangled her fingers with his and then guided him to place his hand on her womanhood. Ylenia had not lied or even exaggerated when she had stated that she was already dripping wet because Thranduil was able to feel her arousal seeping from her womanhood as she guided him to stroke her lower lips. However just as Ylenia was about to press Thranduil’s index finger further, to rub her between her lower lips instead just brushing them along the slit, the king suddenly stated  
\- No.

This time Thranduil’s tone was firm as well as decisive and Ylenia felt the king’s mind getting clear from her subtle, yet intoxicating and acuity-blurring spells in an instant. Ylenia removed her hand from his and released his hard manhood that she had been caressing, rubbing and stroking through the fabric. She stepped a bit further away from the king and chuckled as she couldn’t really believe what had just happened. The king had clearly enjoyed her actions and according to his moans and panting he had been very close to his climax, the sweet release that he would have surely reached in just few brief moments if he had not told her to stop.

Ylenia didn’t know what to think; she felt confused and embarrassed, plainly ridiculous and foolish… but also angry. She did not know where the anger came from but it made her feel strong and assertive in a completely new way. She scoffed and tried to arrange her thoughts into something that actually made some sense. Ylenia tried to stay calm and rational but there was something new in the back of her mind whispering to her, telling her to get set the king straight, to show him his place… to dominate him. Ylenia told the voice to shut up and decided that it was just her ego that had gotten hurt, her pride that had been offended… although she had grown to be quite modest and down-to-earth during her years of exile. The anger was replaced with deep sorrow as Ylenia gained control over her emotions again.

\- When you let go of my hand and left … I felt like I was dying. Ylenia explained and closed her eyes as she processed the rejection in her mind. “I have died so I know how it feels.” she added with a somewhat bitter tone. Thranduil gasped as he recalled the memory of Ylenia dying, although he had never actually seen it, he however was able to picture it quite vividly, almost like Ylenia had given him a mental image of the unfortunate event. Was it a mind trick that she was playing to make him surrender to her? Was Ylenia testing the Elf King? Was she trying to put him under her spell?

\- I felt incomplete and empty. Ylenia spoke softly, standing in front of the king, quite close, but not close enough for his warmth envelop her anymore. “I have never needed anyone” she confessed with a rather embarrassed and slightly defeated tone and then added with a barely audible voice “Especially like I need you”. Thranduil sighed and scolded himself silently for doubting Ylenia’s motives. She looked fragile and delicate with her skin filled with Goosebumps and chest rising and falling calmly as she kept avoiding Thranduil’s gaze.  
\- And yet you reject me. Ylenia stated with a bitter chuckle and turned away as she rubbed her arms to keep herself warm. Ylenia shook her head, squatted quickly and grabbed the dressing robe. She stood up and swiftly slipped her arms into the sleeves and fastened the belt with a tight knot. Ylenia walked into the bathroom and leaned to the sink with her hands. This was not how she had imagined it to go, oh no, not at all, and on top of everything, there was that voice again, the whisper… the ringing in her ears, like someone or… something had been trying to take over.

\- You must understand. There are rules that I must follow. Thranduil said and walked into the bathroom, carrying a candle and placing it on the edge of the bathroom sink. He put his hands on Ylenia’s shoulders and massaged them gently through the silky fabric of her dressing robe, constantly cautious about her injured shoulder, unaware that Ylenia was currently unable to feel any pain… although that spell was slowly fading away from her mind and she could feel the ache returning subtly by every exhale.  
\- Rules… always rules. Ylenia scoffed and stared at her reflection in the mirror, consciously ignoring Thranduil’s gaze even though she would have wanted to look at his handsome face that looked even more charming in the soft, flickering candlelight. However Ylenia kept her eyes fixed on her own icy orbs, yet the person she was staring at was not exactly… her familiar self… oh no, there was something lurking beneath the exterior… something… ancient… powerful… dangerous.

\- But my lady... Thranduil said, felt the silky fabric with his fingers and tangled them in the collar of her robe. “My love” he corrected himself when he noticed that Ylenia rolled her eyes, looking very uninterested about anything that the Elf King might have to say. Then he continued calmly “Your parents would disapprove.” Ylenia scoffed and shook her head.  
\- My parents wanted me to marry you. Ylenia stated and turned around. “No, I don’t think they would be displeased” she spoke and placed her hands on his bare chest. “Being your wife in every possible way is what I want” she continued and after taking a deep breath during which she stopped resisting the new… ancient… force, she added with a reassuring, yet slightly arrogant voice “And quite frankly I do not care about rules and neither should you, my King.” Ylenia emphasized the word “king” to point out that Thranduil answered to no one; he was the highest ranking person in Mirkwood and had the ultimate freedom to do what he wanted. 

Ylenia exhaled deep when she felt the unfamiliar kind of confidence spreading and filling every corner of her existence. From now on she did not think that she owed anyone anything and in her opinion she did not need to give explanations, she didn’t need a justification for her actions and therefore she did not have to ask for permission to live her own life the way she chose. Thranduil was the only person whose opinion Ylenia cared about, even though she knew that she was actually more powerful than he was. In fact she now realized that with the powers that Ylenia had been given by the mighty ancestors she was now one of the most powerful beings in the whole Middle Earth. This however was something that neither Thranduil nor Ylenia herself had pointed out aloud; to be honest, Ylenia had not even realized it before. Nevertheless this power-shift made Thranduil concerned and the fact that Ylenia was clearly willing to bent and even break the rules, the old traditions that were the very foundation of the elven kingdom was not really putting the king’s mind at ease.

Ylenia examined Thranduil’s eyes for answers and tried to find out whether there was any chance to change the king’s mind, but all she found was hesitation and subtle doubt even though Thranduil did his best to hide them behind a tiny, yet very charming smile. There was something else as well… it was obvious… fear… Yes, Thranduil feared something, his mind was filled with it despite his best efforts to assure himself that he was being ridiculous for having these doubts; Ylenia was the person that he loved, trusted and… most importantly knew. Or so he had assumed. Reading these things from Thranduil shocked Ylenia, especially when she surprised herself thinking that the king did not really know her at all. Where had that thought come from? What did it mean? Of course Thranduil knew her!

Suddenly Ylenia removed her hands from his chest and said “Fine” with a barely audible tone. She was a proud person and even though she had not really begged Thranduil, she felt like she had begged quite enough. Thranduil gasped for air when he lost the contact of Ylenia’s warm hands on his chest and for a fraction of a moment, no longer than a blink of an eye, he felt disappointed; had he wanted the things to develop into a more intimate direction? If so, why had he resisted so much?

\- I suppose this is the part where you leave. Ylenia said and folded her arms which made her gasp from pain because she constantly kept forgetting that she was not supposed to make any sudden moves with her arm, especially now that her spell had completely worn off. Thranduil jerked as he saw the frustrated expression that was decorating Ylenia’s face changed into a brief agony that the Northern Witch tried to hide with a sarcastic smirk.  
\- Let me help you to lay down. Thranduil said immediately and gestured Ylenia to follow him out from the bathroom. Ylenia however followed him only into the doorway that led into the bedroom and stayed there, staring at Thranduil who had walked to her bed and was making it ready for her.

\- I hope you realize that I could have put a spell on you. To make you do whatever I wanted. Ylenia stated with a somewhat emotionless tone. Thranduil stopped rearranging the pillows as he froze completely still for a second. Ylenia’s voice sounded unfamiliar and he had never expected to hear her saying something like that.  
\- But I didn’t because I love and respect you too much. Ylenia said and then added “Perhaps even more than I should.” She sounded distant, slightly bitter and offended which made her notion sound like a threat in Thranduil’s ears. The elf nodded, turned around and after putting on his tunic that was laying on the floor he walked to the door that led into the garden  
\- I might not know what the purpose of my power is, but make no mistake, King Thranduil, I am… Ylenia said with a calm tone when the king opened the door and stepped out from her chamber. “…Powerful” she added when Thranduil stopped and turned to face her. After Ylenia had stopped talking the elf wished her goodnight and closed the door behind him. During this Thranduil took one brief look at the woman he loved very dearly but this time she looked like a stranger disguised in a familiar body; there was something about her, in her eyes more specifically, that intrigued and terrified Thranduil. No, this was not only about rejection but also a power struggle, whether Ylenia realized it herself or not.

Ylenia had never dreamed about being a ruler or having such responsibilities. She had never felt particularly powerful, well actually before her death she had not been powerful at all, and she had never challenged Thranduil. Never, until now. She could feel her blood freeze as the new kind of confidence, which represented itself as arrogance mixed with ambition, surfaced her mind. Ylenia did not know where it, this sudden desire to dominate Thranduil and to bend him into her will, had come from and why it was flowing through her like ice-cold water. The fact was that Ylenia had learned to control her powers during the years she had spent in Mirkwood but she didn’t know why she had been given them. What was the purpose? What if she was just a vessel for the Ancient Ones, the first witches who had given her new life and stolen her away from her parents? Ylenia had lived in peace for many years in the court of Thranduil and there had not been any real change in her… until now.

Yes, in fact her words “I am ready” had changed something… something deep down in her… opened a door, in a way. It had been almost like an invitation or a sign that the time was now here, the time for Ylenia to realize that she was a big player in Middle Earth, a powerful witch who served a greater purpose, not the king of Mirkwood. She was now ready, in total control of her powers, she had embraced acceptance towards her desires and needs and she was not afraid of the future. This was the beginning and the pieces were now moving.

However this whole thing made Ylenia feel conflicted because on the other hand she did not want the responsibilities, she had never desired to be powerful and the only thing she had ever really yearned was to be free; to have the freedom to move like the northern wind that blew from the far-horizon and the freedom to make her own choices. But then again… now… she felt different, almost like there was a stranger inside her trying to take control and break free… and this stranger did not like rules and most importantly she did not like to be controlled.

Ylenia recoiled from her thoughts and the very first thing she noticed was that the flowers on her nightstand were frozen solid. She gasped as she felt a series of violent shivers running along her spine due to the freezing cold temperature of her room and when she shifted her focus to her hands, she could see that they were covered by tiny ice flakes, the same as her twilight-blue hair. Ylenia felt like a stranger in her own skin but as the room slowly returned to the normal temperature, also she started to feel more like herself and the more she felt like herself, the more she regretted that she had behaved the way she had. Ylenia wished especially that she could take back the subtle threats she had fired at the Elf King.

Ylenia returned to the bathroom to blow off the candle, she leaned down over the sink and stared at the flickering flame for a moment before breathing at it. When she did, for a fraction of a moment there were dark shadow-like creatures standing behind her. They had ice-blue eyes that glowed like ice during the twilight and they floated in the room like mist, but when Ylenia shifted her gaze from the candle, the shadows disappeared instantly. Ylenia rubbed her arms to stop the sudden shivering as she walked into her bedroom, blew the last remaining candles off and went to bed that had been made ready for her by Thranduil just a moment ago. She lay on her back, staring into the darkness, replaying the events of past couple of days in her mind until her eyelids became too heavy and she fell asleep.

This was the first night when they came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Connie as a thank-you for a comment... (It was some other Thranduil fic... sorry, has been such a long time, dont remember exactly anymore)
> 
> I hope you liked this... well, I hope you all.. who have followed the story this far, liked this :D


	13. The rightful place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ylenia has to deal with the aftermath of her threats.

Thranduil noticed a trail of frozen leafs and spring flowers reaching from the northern part of the garden and leading to the direction of Ylenia’s chamber, almost like a freezing cold wind had blown through the darkness and killed everything on its path. It was strange but then again, it was still very early in the summer and it was possible that there were still going to be nights when the temperatures plunged below zero and therefore he did not stay and investigate the icy trail any further. 

The elf he walked through the dark garden with haste, sneaking behind trees and bushes so he wouldn’t be seen by the guards. He felt lightheaded and his mind was filled with questions that needed to be answered, although he was not entirely sure if he wanted to know the answers; there was a strong possibility that he wouldn’t like what he found out. One thing was for sure though, tomorrow he would summon Ylenia to the throne hall and he would set her straight, he would remind her that he was the king and whatever power Ylenia thought she possessed, it didn’t really make her any more powerful than any other diplomat in the court of Mirkwood.

Yes indeed, Thranduil was the king of Mirkwood and it seemed that Ylenia had forgotten that “insignificant” detail. If she thought that she could do anything just because she was going to be the queen someday, or because she was able to conjure ice, control other people’s minds and knew old, forgotten spells by heart, she was deeply mistaken and that kind of behavior couldn’t and wouldn’t be tolerated. Ylenia was a guest in the realm of Mirkwood, staying there solely based on the goodwill of Thranduil.

But what could he do? The Elf King loved Ylenia more than anyone else before. Sure Thranduil had loved his first wife very deeply but that love had been calm and gentle –kind of love because his late wife, Legolas’ mother had been a highly educated elf Lady who had been raised by the standards of the elven society. Ylenia however was different; she was a free spirit and even though she had been raised in the court of Forochel and she was the princess who surely knew the etiquette and rules of ladylike behavior, even the customs of the elves, but… Yes, but… But Ylenia’s spirit was not calm, quiet and peaceful and therefore the love that Thranduil felt for her was none of those things either.

Thranduil knew that he couldn’t lock Ylenia away to the dungeon, well first of all, the king knew that a cell wouldn’t probably even hold the Northern Witch if she didn’t want to be captured and second of all Thranduil feared that such punishment would cause damage to the relationship between him and her. Thranduil couldn’t condemn Ylenia to exile either, not even momentarily, because there was a real chance that Ylenia wouldn’t return and most importantly Thranduil couldn’t imagine his life without her. This however was a concept that baffled Thranduil every once in a while; how could it be that the king who had been ruling the realm on his own, living without a companion and striving for success and the wellbeing of the realm all by himself now suddenly was so attached to a woman who had insulted him by refusing the marriage in the first place and chosen the life of a commoner instead? But the king was so attached indeed that a life without her was not even an option and therefore Thranduil refused to even imagine it.

The king stood on his private terrace for a couple of minutes, just breathing in the cool night air and trying to identify all the different scents; the new leafs, spring flowers, fresh grass… but then there was also something different; a faint scent of winter… very uncommon for this time of the year. It made the king nervous and as he scanned through the darkness with his sharp eyes, he expected to see monsters lurking in the shadows… but not orcs or even spiders. This time the monster in the dark had a shape of a wraith, glowing blue eyes and the breath colder that the freezing wind of midwinter. However the king was unable to see anything, it was only a feeling… an unnerving shadow that captured his mind. This was an enemy that Thranduil had never encountered before.

Thranduil opened the door to his chamber and stepped in, lighted a couple of candles and after quickly washing his face and getting undressed he went to bed. He rolled around as he tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in but the task seemed to be impossible to accomplish tonight. The elf stared at the ceiling as well as at the dancing shadows as the flames of those two candles flickered and eventually burned out leaving the room dark. Thranduil however was unable to fall asleep. His mind was constantly attempting to solve the puzzle, which his life had suddenly turned into. He tried to figure out why had Ylenia looked, sounded and seemed so different, almost like she had been a completely, or partially at least, different person. Thranduil did not like riddles like these and he didn’t particularly enjoy the inkling of danger and threat that was occupying his conscious mind as well as his unconsciousness, both all the same. It was possible that he was just imagining it but then again, the elves were know for their abilities to sense things, things such as danger and beings that the mortals couldn’t see for example.

When the sun finally came up Thranduil got out from bed, got dressed and headed into the dining hall to enjoy an early breakfast. He has selected a magnificent long robe that was made of silver colored fabric and decorated with blue embroideries running all the way from the hem to the collar. He had decided to wear a crown that looked like it had been made of spiky silver twigs and had had a somewhat threatening vibe to it. Thranduil ate alone and after finishing he strolled for a moment in the garden where the nature had already recovered from the cold night. He tried to find traces of dead plants but for some reason he was unable to do so and therefore he chose to forget about his doubts as well as concerns. Clearly his mind had played a trick on him and the monsters that had shadowed his mind had been nothing but figment of his imagination.

Thranduil walked with assertive steps into the throne hall, walked up the stairs to his throne and sat down. He ordered a guard to wake Ylenia up, if she had not woken up already, and to bring her to the throne hall because there were some important matters to discuss. The guard bowed and left the hall immediately. He walked along the corridors, through the halls and finally arrived to the door that led into Ylenia’s private chamber. The guard knocked a couple of times but no one answered. It meant that the lady was still sleeping and therefore the guard had to get Ylenia’s maid to wake her up. It would have been inappropriate for the guard to storm in unannounced and uninvited. Lady Ylenia after all was a noble lady, a royal woman in fact and it meant that she was entitled to have her own privacy.

The guard found the maid in the kitchen where she was preparing a breakfast tray for Ylenia. The guard told the maid to hurry because the king wanted to see Lady Ylenia immediately and therefore the maid left the unfinished tray into the kitchen and stormed out with the guard. When they reached Ylenia’s door the guard knocked it again a couple of times and since there was no reply, the maid opened the door and sneaked in. She walked through the dim room and found Ylenia laying in her bed on her stomach; her hair was a mess and her face was partially hidden in the pillow, the lady looked paler than the usual… almost like her skin had been made of snow. The maid noticed also the dead flowers in the vase by the bed and the freezing temperature in the room.

Ylenia heard the loud banging through her sleep, the sound echoed in her ears so she rolled from her back to her stomach to block the unpleasant noise. For a moment there was a comfortable silence… until there was that knocking-sound again, a loud thumping that made her head hurt. Ylenia had slept very poorly because she had had very confusing and distressing dreams about the Northern Realm, about the people that she had left behind. In her dream she had watched the struggles and demise of many of her friends without being able to do anything but stare. It was a strange dream indeed; on the other hand it had felt so real that she could have actually been able to reach out and touch everything, to smell the ice and feel the frost on her skin but then again, Ylenia had felt like a helpless bystander who had been forced to watch the events coming to pass right in front of her eyes, like playing a memory in her head.

\- My Lady. the maid called with a polite voice, however this morning her tone was filled with urgency and haste.  
\- What? Ylenia mumbled when she finally reached the full state of consciousness. She opened her eyes when the maid walked to the large windows and opened the curtains with two swift motions. The light hurt Ylenia’s eyes and she had no other choice to close them for a moment to give them time to adjust to the bright sunlight.  
\- The king wants to see you. the maid said and walked across the room to the closet that hosted Ylenia’s dresses. “Does he now?” Ylenia mumbled and pulled the blanket over her head.  
\- Yes, and now indeed. the maid stated and chose a simple black dress for Ylenia to wear. It was the first one that the maid grabbed and since there was no time to waste, it had to do. The maid lay the dress neatly on the back of an armchair and walked to Ylenia’s bed. The maid tangled her fingers into the corner of the blanket and with one fluid motion she pulled the cover off revealing Ylenia laying in her dressing robe. “Good heavens!” the maid exclaimed and then she mumbled in elvish something about the lady’s poor judgment of sleeping in the dressing robe instead of in her nightgown, which was laying disregarded on the floor. Ylenia had learned to speak Elvish quite well during her time in the court of Mirkwood although she was not fluent in it, however she was fluent enough to understand that the maid was scolding her.

\- Alright! Ylenia exclaimed with an annoyed tone and sat up, got out from the bed and after washing her face in the bathroom she got dressed in the simple, yet pretty black dress and conjured the blue and black colors around her eyes. It was something that she had not done that much lately because she had wanted to fit in among the elves but this morning she felt that she needed that extra boost of confidence that the strong colors gave her. The colors made her eyes look even icier and she overcame the messy hair by running her fingers through it, making it perfectly straight as well as shiny and these two rituals combined with each other made her feel more like her old self again.

The dress had long sleeves and a neckline that left the shoulders bare, it was long and had no decorations. The fabric reflected light beautifully and the light made the fabric look deep blue instead of black. Ylenia put on her shoes and followed the maid to the corridor where she was greeted by the guard who escorted her forward. Ylenia tried to ask the guard if he knew what this was about but he either didn’t know or was not allowed to say, Ylenia didn’t know which one it was because the guard simply refused giving her an answer; he had basically greeted the Northern Witch with a bow and then asked her to follow him because the king had summoned the lady. After that the guard had been totally silent and ignored all Ylenia’s questions.

When Ylenia and the guard arrived to the massive doors that led into the throne hall, the guard stopped, asked Ylenia to wait for a moment and entered the hall to announce that the Lady was now here. After a minute or two, a moment that felt like an eternity in Ylenia’s opinion, the guard opened the door for her and announced “Lady Ylenia of Forochel” with a loud, formal tone. Ylenia stepped in and took a deep breath before walking forward. She was able to see the king sitting high up on his throne and even though she was still quite far away from it Ylenia could feel Thranduil’s eyes fixed upon her. Yes, the Elf King followed her every move with sharp gaze as he tried to find out Ylenia’s mood and whether there was that element of threatening strangeness in her or not.

\- King Thranduil. Ylenia said when she arrived and stopped right in front of the throne. She bowed deep as a sign of greeting and respect and then returned to stand up straight, the king however did not bow in return, even though bowing was his customary way of greeting Ylenia. This gesture, or more specifically the lack thereof, made it apparent to Ylenia that she was more or less in trouble. How deep in trouble exactly? Well, that she was about to find out, soon most likely.

This time the king did not stand up either, like he usually did; he only stared at her while shifting himself a little on the throne. He was sitting slightly sideways, like he always did, with his other leg crossed over the other, like it so very often was, relaxing his other arm on the arm of the throne and holding a wooden staff with the other. Ylenia noticed immediately that he was wearing his rings, the brooch and the threatening-styled crown which all combined to his cold-colored robe made him look regal but also distant and superior… and oh yes, also slightly arrogant. The king’s silver hair cascaded perfectly down from his shoulders and he looked as handsome as ever with his impressive, dark eyebrows, light blue eyes that were framed with the long, black eyelashes and flawless, pale skin. He was wearing leather boots and gray trousers and the sight was topped off with the large silver-colored cloak that was decorated with subtly-golden embroideries and lined with deep red silk.

\- Lady Ylenia. Thranduil said with a loud, assertive voice and just as Ylenia was about to ask how the king had slept, he gestured her to stay silent. The gesture was very minimal but powerful, it made Ylenia feel almost worthless and most likely it was meant to make her feel that way. However this, a cold welcome, didn’t actually come as a surprise.  
\- You have said quite enough. It is my turn to speak. he said with a tone that made it perfectly clear to Ylenia that the king was not even a bit interested in what Ylenia thought or said… or thought to say, so therefore Ylenia swallowed her pride and stayed quiet. She decided silently to endure anything that the king might say to her and she would endure it well; without objections, without giving an emotional response and most importantly without challenging him, the king of the realm.

\- It seems that you have forgotten your place, my lady. the king began and paused to monitor Ylenia’s expression. Her face however stayed neutral and calm and for Thranduil’s surprise he was not attacked with defiance or insults like he had expected.  
\- I am the king of this realm. he stated firmly and then continued by saying “I am the ruler of this realm” with the same tone, but this time he emphasized the word “ruler”. Ylenia swallowed once and breathed in deep. She could hear that ancient force whispering to her and telling her to defend herself. Ylenia however managed to ignore it.  
\- As long as we are not married, you have no real power here. Thranduil spoke and after a small pause he added “This is my kingdom and you are a guest.” Ylenia gasped silently fought to keep herself calm even though the voice in the back of her head told her to show the arrogant king what real power looked like. “I advice that you will not forget it from now on” he continued with a cold, distant tone. Ylenia nodded once and shifted her gaze elsewhere.

\- But if you do, Lady Ylenia, make no mistake… Thranduil stated and paused before continuing “I am not afraid of…” But then he stopped because he did not know what to say. He was not afraid of… what? The Northern Witch shifted her gaze back to Thranduil and waited with a sorrowful expression on her face. The seconds passed but the sentence did not continue. Ylenia however did not feel relieved at all because it was possible that the punishment for disobeying the king’s order was going to be something so horrible that the Elf King couldn’t even say it aloud.  
\- You will keep your cheap magic tricks to yourself. the Elf King said and finished by stating “They do not impress me” with a somewhat disgusted tone. After that he dismissed Ylenia and summoned the guard to escort her back into her chamber. Ylenia bowed, wished the king a good day and then left the throne hall. The guard walked the lady into her chamber and left her alone standing in the middle of her room.

Ylenia groaned and noticed the new flowers in the vase by her bed and a tray of breakfast on the desk. She sat down and poured herself a cup of tea while selecting an apple for herself to eat. She was not particularly hungry but she decided to eat something at least; a piece of bread that had been baked just a couple of hours ago, a cup of tea and an apple. She leaned back in the chair and focused her thoughts on the dream that she had had last night; in the dream she had also seen things that she could have had never seen, the world before people, the world long before the elves… the world of wraiths and other ancient beings. In the dream Ylenia had risen from the deep blue depths of the icy sea, moved like the wind above the snow-covered forests and conjured the Northern Lights to illuminate the skies during the coldest, darkest nights of midwinter. Then the dream had changed… so many faces, expressions that were filled with pain and sorrow… echoing screams of distress and horror.

A sound of birds singing in the garden woke Ylenia up from her thoughts. Her tea had gotten cold already but she decided to drink it anyway even though cold tea was not exactly her favorite. She tried to focus her thoughts back on the dream but all she was able to hear was the birds chirping in the trees so loudly that she was unable to hear her own thoughts. She walked to the door that led into the garden and closed it, it however made no difference and it annoyed Ylenia greatly. She usually loved the sound of spring and summer but not today. After staring out from the window she stepped out and scanned the surrounding trees with her eyes.

\- Oh I miss the clear winter days when the world was silent. Ylenia spoke and brought her hands in front of her chest. She held her right hand palm-side up as a cup and spun her left hand palm-side down subtly above it as she recited a spell in her mind. First a couple of snowflakes appeared on the palm of her right hand but soon there was a small pile of snow which Ylenia shaped into a snowball.  
\- I cannot hear myself think in this racket! she exclaimed and threw the snowball at the birds that were sitting on the lowest branch of a large tree nearby. After that she stormed back in, slammed the door shut behind her, ran through the room and out from her chamber into the hallway while muttering half-aloud to herself and cursing the spring for being so noisy. There was only one place in the entire palace that was silent enough for her to think clearly at the moment.

Thranduil was on a walk in the garden when he saw a snowball hitting the tree and three birds flying away from the branch. There were a couple of guards talking to each other when the king surprised them and asked “What is going on?” The guards explained that they had heard Lady Ylenia speaking to herself and then throwing the snowball at the birds, after which she had stormed back in and slammed the door behind her. Thranduil ordered the guards to find out what was going on and to tell him immediately if they found out something suspicious about Ylenia and her movements in the palace. The guards bowed right away and left the garden to follow Ylenia, or to spy on her.

Ylenia moved like a shadow, unseen by the guards and servants. She ran into random lords and ladies but this time she did not stop to socialize with them. Ylenia was able to keep herself hidden for most of the time, but now that she was highly annoyed and frustrated, her attention was constantly shifted from the spells to the chirping birds, the noise that was driving her insane. She couldn’t turn herself invisible or anything so drastic but she was able to distract the minds of others so they did not pay any attention to her. This skill she had had from the very beginning and it had been a very helpful talent during her exile. However it was not working today that well because Ylenia’s mind was a mess.

Finally she reached the door that led into the dungeon, the only place in the entire palace that she knew to be silent and undisturbed. At the current moment there were no prisoners which meant that there were no guards either and this suited Ylenia perfectly. She sneaked in and found her old cell, opened the door and walked in. She sat down on the bench that was located in the far end of the tiny room and sighed deep as she listened to the silence. It was baffling how the world could be so noisy and even more baffling was that she had never noticed it before. Ylenia leaned to the back wall and closed her eyes. The hours passed by and suddenly she heard a familiar voice speaking to her, wondering what she was doing in her old cell, sitting all alone in the darkness.  
\- Oh, Legolas. Hi. Ylenia said with a polite voice. Legolas chuckled a little and greeted her with a familiar smile.

\- Syty liekki sininen, virvatuli ikiaikainen. Suo minulle hehkusi, valaise tämä kammari. (Light up blue flame, the age-old Will O The Wisp. Bestow your glow upon me, light up this chamber.) Ylenia spoke with a silent voice and a blue flame appeared on her palm. She placed the flame on the floor, right next to the wall and conjured another one which she kept on her palm. Legolas followed her actions cautiously but Ylenia was also able to sense a certain level of mezmeration in his presence. At least the prince admired her “cheap magic tricks”.

\- May I? Legolas asked before entering the cell. Ylenia nodded and smiled briefly at the prince.  
\- So, why is it that I found you here? he asked with soft, kind tone. Ylenia stared at the blue flame dancing on her palm, illuminating everything with pale, eerie light and then shifted her gaze to Legolas.  
\- Can you hear it? Ylenia asked and gestured Legolas to listen closely. Legolas looked around as he kept listening and then he shifted his gaze back to Ylenia and shook his head with a confused expression on his face.  
\- The silence. Ylenia whispered and breathed it in. Legolas chuckled a little and cleared his throat.  
\- I thought you love the sounds of spring and summer. he stated playfully. Legolas loved spring and summer, he loved everything that was alive and growing, everything that was good in the world and everything that was beautiful.  
\- I do… she admitted but after a quick inhale she added “But not today.” Yes, today for some reason the approaching summer did not bring any joy to Ylenia and if she could have transported herself anywhere in the world in an instant, she would have found herself standing at the cliffs of the Ice bay of Forochel, nothing but frozen sea in front of her. That was the place where her spirit would rest and where she would feel completely tranquil.

\- Why? Has something happened? Legolas asked. His voice was still calm but now there was a hint of concern in it.  
\- I suppose it is safe to assume that you have heard about my… Ylenia said and tried to come up with the right word for it. She did not want to say “powers” because it made it sound so… ridiculous. “…The disagreement that I had with the king” she said instead.  
\- Oh that? Yes. Legolas commented and rolled his eyes. “How is it that you and my father only manage to get along a couple of days at a time?” he asked playfully. Ylenia chuckled a little and mumbled “That is a good question” with a barely audible tone.  
\- Feel free to let me know if you ever find the answer. Ylenia stated and sighed.  
\- Is it bad? Legolas asked with a warm and sincere tone.  
\- Honestly? I don’t know. Ylenia replied, sighed “Perhaps” and her answer was followed by a long silence. Ylenia felt like she had to explain the prince and therefore she inhaled sharply and stated “I didn’t ask for this.”

\- For… what? Legolas asked with a somewhat puzzled tone.  
\- For the… Ylenia said and then scoffed “…Powers” with a strong mockery in her voice. “Oh?” Legolas commented almost completely without a sound.  
\- I would have been… perfectly content to come back as I was before. Ylenia explained and after a sniffle she continued “But I suppose, you’ll get nothing for free in this life.” She sounded almost mentally beaten up as she mumbled with a silent, somewhat defeated voice which resembled very much the tone that she had had when she had been captured and Legolas had come to see her in her cell.  
\- For free? What do you mean? Legolas asked. He sounded now even more puzzled than he had been before.

\- I have a feeling that there is a purpose behind my rebirth… Whatever it might be. Ylenia replied with a tone that was thoughtful and pensive. It was easy to hear that Ylenia did not take the matter lightly, quite oppositely actually, the question weighed on her shoulders and puzzled her mind every second that she was awake… after last night even more than earlier.  
\- Yes, I guess you’re right. the Elf Prince commented and stood up. He walked around a little in the small cell and stopped to listen to Ylenia when she cleared her throat and chuckled bitterly.  
\- I just hope that after I have fulfilled that purpose… Ylenia stated and then commented “Not that I would know what it even is…” accompanied with an eye-roll. Legolas made a small “Hm” –sound and leaned on the wall as he tried to imagine the answer to the questions; what was her purpose? Was there one or did she just assume so needlessly?  
\- …I hope that the ancient ones will let me to live in peace after I’ve done what I was brought back to do. Ylenia mumbled and wiped a runaway tear off her cheek. Legolas however did not comment because he did not know what to say.  
\- And then maybe one day I’ll become the person who deserves the king’s love. she spoke and exhaled deep. Ylenia had a bad feeling that after last night, after her threats there was no going back to what the relationship had been. Everything was different now, the balance between him and her was all wrong… or in other words, there was no balance.

\- But my father loves you very much, just as you are. Legolas exclaimed immediately with a sincere tone. He had seen the change in her father, that he had become livelier and more joyful during the years Ylenia had spent in the court and therefore the prince couldn’t understand why Ylenia wouldn’t deserve the king’s love right now.  
\- Maybe so, but all I seem to be able to do is to cause chaos and confusion, wherever I go. Ylenia stated and leaned forward to support herself with her hand from her knee as her other hand still held the flame on her palm. “Even if I mean well or try to do the right thing” she added with a somewhat bitter and mocking tone.  
\- Even if? Try? Legolas chuckled. “You always do the right thing!” he exclaimed and shifted his weight from his foot to another.

\- You’re a good man, Legolas, but not all are like you. she commented and played with the flame to distract herself from the emotions that were getting bottled behind her cool exterior. “You’re naïve if you think that I’m flawless” Ylenia stated and shook her head as she leaned back to the wall. “And you’re mistaken if you think that I never act selfishly” Ylenia added with a deep inhale and a slow exhale. Legolas however did not comment so therefore she decided to remind the prince how she had ended up into this mess in the first place.  
-I rejected the marriage that would have been beneficial for my people and ran away, remember? Ylenia stated with a bitter tone that was filled with regret and shifted her gaze from the flame to Legolas.

\- You saved my life even though you knew that you might get into trouble for it! You cannot change my mind, Lady Ylenia. Legolas stated and walked to the door that led out from the cell. “This place is filled with lingering sadness, please do not stay here for long” he said and after bowing as a goodbye he walked out from the cell and hurried back to his duties.

Thranduil gestured Legolas not to say anything when he saw his son jogging up the stairs that led out from the dungeon. The guards had figured out eventually where Ylenia had gone and then told the king that the lady was in the dungeon, sitting in her old cell. Thranduil had then headed to the dungeon but stopped when he had heard Legolas having a conversation with Ylenia. The prince had found Ylenia sitting alone by an accident when he had been taking a shortcut from the backside of the palace to the front side, using the dungeon as a gateway of some sort. 

Thranduil left the dungeon and walked back into the throne hall to replay in his mind the conversation he had eavesdropped, trying to figure out what was happening in his court, right under his nose. The more the king thought about what he had heard, the more convinced he became that whatever Ylenia had said last night, whatever was happening to her, it was not her own doing or something that she was able to stop. It meant that Ylenia did not want to challenge Thranduil’s rule… but this revelation did not make her any less dangerous anyhow and therefore the king decided to take a little bit distance to her. The Elf King was certain that it would all get resolved in its own time and it was only a good thing if the feelings that Ylenia and Thranduil had for each other cooled down a little, otherwise it would be impossible to resist the temptation and wait until they were actually, officially united in marriage.

So the life continued in Mirkwood; the summer slipped away, the autumn too and suddenly it was a winter again. The days followed each other like they always did, the same events, the same polite conversations… the same awkward looks between the king and the lady and the same silent longing between them. However the longing got easier to ignore by sticking to the same routines, every day, every week… every month. Ylenia spent her days in the library, hiding away and keeping as low profile as possible because she did not want to upset the king more; she was afraid that if they engaged themselves in many quarrels and let their egos clash, it would eventually cause damage to their relationship, damage so great that it couldn't be repaired. Besides Ylenia had to find information, every piece and every clue that had been written and stored in the archives of Thranduil's court, about the Ancient Ones as well as the dreams that haunted her. Yes, the dreams, the disturbing nightmares that distressed the Northern Witch during the nights. Every night she went to sleep with living flowers by her bed and almost every other morning, at least once a week, she woke up with dead flowers by her side. The flowers died seemingly without a reason, like they had been frozen solid during the night and every time this happened the maid replaced them with the new ones without saying a word.

Then suddenly it had been almost a year since Thranduil and Ylenia had even embraced each other, ten moons to be exact. They always acted politely towards each other, danced together in the celebrations and therefore for anyone else it looked that their relationship was doing perfectly fine. Even Legolas assumed that all was well between his father and the lady because they shared long walks in the surrounding forest and dined together in the king’s chamber but the truth was that since that one night Thranduil and Ylenia had not kissed, hugged or even expressed their love with words to each other. It had been almost like they both had been waiting for the time to resolve all the troubles so one day they could wake up with a clean slate and start all over again. The unfortunate fact, the harsh reality was however that the day would never come if neither of them made a move to make things right again.

Thranduil had had enough. This had to stop. He had never thought that his words would have this kind of impact on their relationship but apparently that was the case; Ylenia kept to herself and when she was accompanied by the king, she always behaved in the best way possible, never criticizing or raising questions, always obedient and submissive, which had started to irritate as well as agonize Thranduil as the months had passed because he felt like he had lost his connection with her. Sure, in the beginning Thranduil had enjoyed the tranquility and been secretly pleased about this newly-found calmness of Ylenia, or the fact that she had finally learned to keep her opinions to herself, but as time had slipped away, like it so quickly did in the elven realm, it had started to bother Thranduil and actually it had made him somewhat sad. However, the longer the situation had been going on, the harder it had become to change; deep down the Elf King was afraid that Ylenia would get tired of being pushed around or simply tired of her life in Mirkwood and leave while Ylenia was afraid that Thranduil would get tired of her temper and banish her for good.

The truth was that at first, right after that one night, Thranduil had been slightly concerned about the security of his throne and therefore he had ordered his guards as well as his servants to keep an eye on Ylenia. The maid always reported about the dead flowers to the king and the guards kept Ylenia on eye whenever her behavior seemed suspicious but… nothing happened. The days just turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months but Ylenia did not try to seize the throne or even bend the rules again and that had started to irritate the Elf King. The bottom line was that he missed the fiery and impulsive Ylenia, he missed… her… everything about her, even the rough edges! Thranduil kept still following her life from the distance, listening to his servants' and guards' reports about Ylenia's daily routines, always making sure that she had everything she needed so her life would be as comfortable as possible. Above everything else the Elf King wanted to know what was going on with her bride-to-be, not because he would have suspected Ylenia to betray him, but because he needed to know if she was happy... if she was distressed... if she still loved him.

One night, during the tenth full moon since that one night, the king was taking a late-night-walk in the garden alone to clear his head and to come up with a plan how to get closer to Ylenia and steer the relationship into the romantic direction. It was spring again, the beginning of the season that brought everything back to life and woke up the surrounding forest. There was still plenty of snow here and there under the trees and other places that were shaded from the sunlight but the air carried the scent of little streams of water that formed when the snow melted during the warm, sunny days. 

Suddenly the king noticed a cloud of mist floating from the northern part of the garden, heading to the direction of Ylenia’s chamber and freezing everything on its path. Thranduil hid himself behind a tree and after the mist had passed him, he followed it, holding firmly onto his sword. The mist, that was formed out of shadow-like beings, moved silently through the garden and when they finally reached the palace, they suddenly disappeared. Thranduil ran to stand outside the non-curtained window of Ylenia’s room and saw the beings surrounding Ylenia’s bed. They had eyes that glowed like the twilight in midwinter and they froze the flowers that Thranduil had requested to be arranged so Ylenia would always have beautiful, living things around her reminding her about the summer.

Thranduil squeezed the handle of his sword firmly and opened the door with one swift motion. He raised his long, beautiful weapon against the wraiths and gasped when he realized that Ylenia was actually floating about a meter above her bed. Her skin was glowing like snow in twilight and her body was just lolling above the mattress like she had been nothing more than a broken puppet hanging from the strings. The wraiths turned to look at the Elf King, shifting their attention from Ylenia and…


	14. New spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil confronted wraiths... and the previous chapter ended with the cliffhanger.
> 
> Sorry for the long pause.
> 
> I hope this is worth the wait... oh and a little bit light smut in the end.

\- I am the king of this realm and you are trespassing on my lands. Thranduil stated firmly and glared at the wraiths under his eyebrows, which made him look very dangerous and threatening. Thranduil tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword and perfected his posture for the possible attack. He did not quite know how he was supposed to fight wraiths but he had to try at least because he had stated that Ylenia was nothing more than a guest here and it meant that Thranduil was responsible for her safety. Besides this, to take care of the safety of his loved one, he considered as a matter of honor as well as privilege of course.  
   
Suddenly Ylenia fell back on her bed when the wraiths shifted their attention entirely on Thranduil. She had fallen so close to the edge that when the sudden drop made the mattress shift as well as shake a bit, she rolled over the edge of the bed, down to the floor on her stomach, yet the fall did not wake her up. Thranduil saw her in the corner of his eye and the sight shocked him profoundly; the lady who was usually so strong and carried herself proudly was now laying on the floor just like a broken puppet, a marionette doll whose strings had been cut off and had been thrown away like a worthless piece of trash. However Thranduil was unable to run to Ylenia because the wraiths formed a threatening wall between the Elf and the Witch. Then the wraiths floated closer and surrounded the Elf King who repeated his statement and ordered the wraiths to go. Thranduil tried to maintain his voice as firm as possible but the truth was that Thranduil had never feared an enemy this much and he knew in his bones that if he had been a mere mortal or a young elf, the glowing gaze of the wraiths would have frozen him in a matter of seconds.  
   
\- I command you to leave my realm! he spoke and raised his chin up to appear taller and more intimidating.  
\- Haltia… (Elf) one of the wraiths whispered with a mocking tone, floating in front of Thranduil and speaking in the ancient language right at his face. Thranduil felt his eyelashes as well as his eyebrows getting frosty and if he indeed had been a mere mortal, his face would have been covered with serious frostbites for sure. “Pohjoistuuli kutsuu tyttäremme kotiin…” (The northern wind will call our daughter home) the wraith hissed and even though Thranduil was unable to understand what it said, he got instantly an ominous feeling of the things to come.  
\- Get out! Thranduil hissed and raised his sword to attack. The wraith raised its hand and grabbed the blade of the sword. It got unbelievably cold in a matter of few blinks and the Elf King dropped the sword as an involuntary reaction. The wraith hissed victoriously and pressed its shadow-like finger against Thranduil's chest. The elf felt a terrible sting in his heart, almost like it had been frozen solid from inside and for a moment he was unable to catch his breath. Thranduil recited an ancient elvish protection spell silently and after few seconds he felt the pain getting milder and he was able to breathe again. The wraith knew that it was not strong enough to cause any real harm to the old, mighty elf, not here... so far away from the icy northern sea. Thranduil gasped for air and stated  
\- Trespassers will be punished-  
   
\- Säästä mitättömät uhkauksesi, haltia! (Save your idle threats, Elf) the wraith responded and glared at the Elf King who still insisted on staring deep into the glowing eyes of the enemy even though those glowing eyes made the elf's knees shake from fear. Then, after a short pause, it continued with a chilling whisper “Ilman meitä hän on vain kuiskaus tuulessa. Heikko… ja...” (Without us she is only a whisper in the wind. Weak... and...”) and finally added “...Hyödytön" (...Useless). After this the wraiths started to fade away slowly, leaving Thranduil and Ylenia alone in Ylenia’s chamber. Thranduil grabbed his sword from the floor and threatened the wraiths with the sharp blade while holding his breath and stepping between Ylenia and the ghostly shadows. When the wraiths had faded away entirely, he finally gasped for air before putting his sword away and running to Ylenia, who was still laying on the floor. Thranduil knelt right beside her and took her hand, hoping to come across some signs of life. Ylenia’s skin however was as cold as ice and she looked lifeless which worried Thranduil greatly; what the wraiths had done to her? Had they come to claim her life? Was she now dead?  
   
Thranduil felt a state of panic taking over his mind as these questions echoed in his head. He lifted her up and lowered her on the bed, pressed a soft kiss on her lips, staying close and feeling her beautiful features with his fingertips like she had been a precious yet extremely fragile porcelain doll that could have shattered into small pieces from even the slightest touch… but the Elf King had to touch her. It had been such a long time and during those passed ten months he had felt lonelier than ever. Thranduil brushed her cheeks with his, begging her to breathe and just as he was about to call the healers, she arched her back and filled her lungs with air entirely. Ylenia opened her eyes and stared into the darkness, her eyes glowing like the winter twilight as she sighed eerily “On aika” (It’s time) and then collapsed back to the bed. Thranduil drew back a little and managed to get a glimpse of her glowing eyes before Ylenia closed them and fell back to peaceful sleep. Her skin started to get warmer and the healthy blush returned to her cheeks.  
   
Thranduil sighed relieved and pressed a kiss on Ylenia’s forehead. He stood up, locked the doors and carried an armchair next to the bed. The Elf King sat down after taking his sword and kept guarding the room until the sun rose above the trees and the surrounding forest filled with cheerful sounds of spring again. Then Thranduil sneaked out from the room and decided that he would never talk about the wraiths unless she brought them up in a conversation. Thranduil was puzzled and also terrified, especially now that he realized that he had sensed the wraiths before… ten months ago… when he had had the argument with Ylenia. He connected the dots; the frozen flowers and the feeling of something crawling in the darkness, and came to a conclusion that the wraiths had visited his future queen somewhat regularly this entire time but Thranduil had been too occupied to see it. Did Ylenia know? Had she kept it as a secret all this time? It wouldn't be the first time that she would keep secrets from him. Or perhaps... Maybe she didn’t know and if he told her now, it would surely shock her. “No, Ylenia doesn’t have to know” Thranduil mumbled and walked into his chamber.  
   
Thranduil went into his bathroom and took off his tunic. He noticed a small frostbite on his chest, right above his heart, and touched it with his fingertips. The touch made him gasp because it stung quite a bit; he had never gotten a frostbite before and to be affected by cold was most uncommon among the elves, basically unheard of. Thranduil took a small jar of lotion made of Athelas and spread it on the injury with cautious motions. The lotion burned his skin a little but the Elf King took the pain like it was nothing; his pain resistance was very high after all and he had been injured in many wars… therefore pain was nothing new to him… it was nothing that he couldn’t handle.  
   
However what Thranduil couldn’t handle that well was the fact that that he had not understood what the wraith had said; had it fired threats at the Elf King or maybe revealed something important considering their plans for Ylenia? This “not knowing” was really bothering the elf and therefore he stormed into the library right after washing his face and getting dressed. He knew that the breakfast was going to be served soon but there was still a little bit of time to go through some old manuscripts and scrolls.  
   
Ylenia woke up with a headache that was pounding her forehead almost like she had hit it, although she had no recollection of hitting her head and therefore the pain made no sense. She felt her temple and noticed a subtle bump that was apparently too sore to touch… that she learned the hard way. Ylenia got up and walked into the bathroom and stared at her reflection for many minutes, quite baffled due to the purple bruise on her forehead. She mumbled a spell and the bruise faded away; Ylenia couldn’t heal her injuries but she was able to hide them, which had been a very convenient skill in various battles because it had helped her to maintain an illusion that she couldn’t be injured.  
   
Ylenia changed her nightgown into a gorgeous wine-red dress. The gown was decorated with small sparkling gemstone beads that reflected light whenever it hit them. Ylenia straightened her hair and conjured colors around her eyes because she wanted to look more attractive in Thranduil’s eyes, although she had never dared to ask whether the Elf King liked her better with or without the strong colors and he had never expressed his opinion either way. The reason why Ylenia wanted to look exceptionally pretty today was that she had been thinking quite a lot during the winter and therefore she had arrived to a conclusion that she couldn’t take the distance anymore.  
   
Oh no, the Northern Witch had missed Thranduil very much and therefore it had been somewhat distressful to live in the same palace and to spend time with him without actually being with him… to pretend that everything was alright while she had been somewhat worried whether the marriage was going to happen or not. What if Thranduil’s feelings had changed radically… faded away and now he either would call off the wedding, which had not even been settled yet, or marry her just because he felt like he was obligated to do so.  
   
The whole thing was even more complicated because Ylenia did not know if she wanted to get married! Whether it had been intentional or not, but Thranduil had showed Ylenia her place and made it quite clear that she had no power here… at least not until they got married and she became the queen of the realm… but what if Thranduil was not going to share the power after all? What if he expected her to be a dutiful wife who just kept his bed warm and never questioned her husband? Ylenia knew that she would never become that person and it had been the reason why she had escaped the marriage in the first place. Sure she had not known the Elf King at the time and now that she did, the entire situation was different... Ylenia was aware that her actions in the past had been very selfish and probably condemned many of her people to die due to the lack of an alliance between the elves and the Northern people... but to be a submissive wife was not in her nature and she would surely fade away if that was the role that she should fit in.  
   
The other reason that made Ylenia question her place by Thranduil’s side was the fact that she had a constant feeling of something being wrong. It was a disturbing and distracting inkling growing in the dark corners of her mind when she was alone in her chamber, staring at the blue flame dancing on the palm of her hand. It was a barely audible voice whispering into her ear… telling her that she had responsibilities and duties elsewhere and she should soon leave Mirkwood… ride north… and take her place on the throne of Forochel. “That’s ridiculous!” Ylenia scoffed and reminded herself that the wraiths were going to take back their lands because the old treaties and spells were wearing thin, even the mighty palace of ice and stone had started to melt because the balance between the living and the dead had been disturbed a long time ago and after Ylenia’s brother had taken his own life… there were no other witches left… no one else but… Mimosa.  
   
\- Mimosa. Ylenia scoffed and clenched her hands into fists. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I found Mimosa sitting on the throne of Forochel” Ylenia mumbled bitterly as she walked along the long corridors to the dining hall to eat breakfast. “My throne” she added and greeted the guards with a simple nod when she encountered them. She kept walking towards the hall, occasionally scoffing and groaning out of frustration as well as irritation but when she finally arrived to the door, she pushed all these thoughts away, or tried at least. After the lady had taken a deep breath and calmed her mind, she was escorted into the dining hall where she had expected Thranduil to be already. The king usually woke up earlier than the Northern Witch and therefore he was always waiting for her to arrive to the breakfast, but for her surprise the Elf King was not sitting at the end of the table like she had anticipated.  
   
Ylenia was escorted to the table to sit on the right side of the king and after the maid had poured her some fruity herbal tea, she was left alone into the hall. “Or maybe she’s dead” Ylenia mumbled into her teacup casually but the truth was that Ylenia’s attitude and feelings towards Mimosa were everything but casual, in both good and bad. These conflicted feelings were an outcome of a very challenging and complicated relationship between the Witches and thinking about the possibility that Mimosa was no longer alive made Ylenia both sad and… relieved... although Ylenia knew that she shouldn't have felt relief from such thing. However, the thing was that Mimosa was Ylenia’s-  
   
\- Good morning, my lady! Thranduil said when he stepped in from the large doorway with a surprised, yet delighted smile on his face. He had not expected Ylenia to be awake already because usually the king was the first one to wake up. Ylenia jumped a bit in her seat and spilled a half of a cup of tea on the table because the king’s sudden arrival pretty much wrenched her out from her thoughts. She was just about to stand up to greet the king but Thranduil gestured her to stay as she was, sitting down by the table. This was when Ylenia realized that she had spilled some tea and after cursing barely audibly in her own language, she took a napkin and wiped the tea off the table so she wouldn’t get her sleeves dirty. However she managed only to spread it even more and make the mess worse.  
\- May I point out that you are up early today. Thranduil said and called a maid to bring him some tea as well. He also gestured the maid to clean the mess so the future queen did not have to do it. Ylenia objected at first but then leaned back in her chair and let the maid clean the table and to bring her a new napkin and a fresh cup of tea.  
   
\- Or perhaps you slept late, my lord. Ylenia responded with a playful smirk.  
\- I have not slept last night. he commented and took an apple from a beautiful bowl that had been carved out from wood and decorated with detailed engravings. Thranduil took a delicate knife and sliced the fruit into eight even pieces.  
\- Oh? Ylenia commented with a surprised tone and then asked “What… did you do then?”  
\- Kept guard. the Elf King answered and shifted his gaze from the apple to Ylenia as he tried to read her expression; was she aware that he had been in her room last night? Did she know that the wraiths had visited her?  
\- My lord. Ylenia chuckled and then continued by stating casually “I thought that you have the guards for that!”  
\- Sometimes even the best guards cannot see what the king can. Thranduil stated and took a bite of a slice of the apple.  
\- You’re speaking in riddles, my Lord. Ylenia commented and then asked “Has something happened?” with a slightly confused, yet curious voice. Thranduil dissected her tone quickly to find traces of dishonesty in it but when he shifted his ice blue eyes from his plate to Ylenia’s puzzled expression, he instantly came to a conclusion that Ylenia had no idea what he was referring to.  
\- No. he replied and then said “Worry not, my love” with a reassuring tone. “My love” Ylenia sighed and replayed the words in her head. She couldn’t believe it… it had been such a long time… and therefore when she finally believed her ears, she felt a great wave of relief washing over her and a sincere smile appeared on her face as her cheeks turned slightly red.  
   
\- You have not called me that since… Ylenia said and paused to count the months that had passed by so quickly, although there had been moments when the weeks had felt endless and the time had stood still. “…Since last spring” Ylenia added with a thoughtful tone. Thranduil put his hand over hers and squeezed it gently, yet firmly.  
\- Would you like me to call you that again? the Elf King asked with a slightly shy tone. Ylenia moved her hand from under Thranduil’s hand to over it and squeezed it with great affection.  
\- I would love it if you did. she said with a delighted voice that had an undertone of relief in it.  
\- I am delighted to hear that. Thranduil replied and after drowning into each other’s eyes, they both realized that the tea had already gotten cold and they had barely started the breakfast.  
   
Thranduil and Ylenia ate slowly and the meal was accompanied by a casual, lighthearted conversation. There were long looks, many smiles and subtle flirt which filled Ylenia’s stomach with butterflies. It felt like everything was well in the world again and this overwhelming happiness was enough to distract Ylenia from the thoughts that concerned the Northern Realm, her possible duties, her ancestors and… Mimosa. Ylenia had missed the Elf King so deeply and now that he was willing to put the past behind them and move forward… it was the only thing she was able to think about.  
   
The Elf King felt the same way; he had missed Ylenia’s company, her smile… the way she looked at him and focused her attention on him entirely, making him feel warm and tingly inside. She made him feel young again… she made him feel less afraid and therefore it was easy for him to push aside the memory of the wraiths as well as the questions that had bothered his mind during the past ten months. It was so easy to lose oneself to the laughter that echoed in the dining hall and filled the king’s mind with happy thoughts.  
\- Would you join me for a stroll in the garden? the king asked when they had finished the breakfast and left the table.  
\- Yes. That would be lovely. Ylenia answered and took Thranduil’s arm gladly when he offered it to her. She held his arm tightly and leaned her head on Thranduil’s upper arm when there were no guards or servants watching. Thranduil walked Ylenia to her chamber and they agreed to meet in the garden soon after they had gotten their warm winter cloaks.  
\- I will see you soon. Thranduil said and bowed deeply before watching Ylenia getting into her private chamber and closing the door behind her. Ylenia pushed the door closed but then opened it a little bit when she heard the footsteps of the king as he walked further away from the door along the long corridor. Ylenia took a secret glance at the king and admired the graceful sight until the Elf King turned and disappeared behind a corner. Ylenia closed the door softly and leaned to it with her back. Her heart was filled with spring and even the puzzling, distressing dreams that had bothered Ylenia almost constantly and confused her profoundly now felt insignificant and… unreal.  
   
The Norther Witch smiled at the ceiling and closed her eyes for a moment. She filled her lungs slowly, held her breath for a moment and then exhaled. The sunlight poured in from the big windows and Ylenia was able to hear the birds singing in the distance. She ran to her closet and picked up the winter cloak and then walked with haste and light feet into the garden where Thranduil was already waiting for her. Thranduil led Ylenia deeper along the pathways and eventually they found themselves in the forest.  
   
\- Are you happy? Thranduil asked suddenly with a slightly hesitant tone. Ylenia stopped walking and shifted her gaze from the bare treetops to Thranduil.  
\- Of course I am. she replied with a somewhat confused tone.  
\- Do you… miss home? he asked and after letting his gaze wander in the surrounding forest a bit, he finally focused his ice blue eyes on Ylenia. The sunshine made his long silver-blonde hair shine and when the rays of sun hit his eyes, they sparkled like precious gemstones. This made Thranduil look even more magical than usual and for a moment Ylenia was unable to form her thoughts into words.  
\- Home? she asked and chuckled as she turned to look away. “Where is home?” she asked and then continued by stating “I have lived inside the borders of Mirkwood almost as long as I have lived in the Northern Realm” with a calm, slightly distant tone. Thranduil sighed as a response but he did not say anything.  
   
\- Define home. she challenged after a brief, somewhat awkward silence.  
\- Home is a place… Thranduil began with a thoughtful tone and then continued “…Where you feel safe… comfortable… and happy. His voice was deep and soft, every word he spoke was a declaration of love… it had been such a long time since he had declared his love for her. Ylenia made a soft “Hm” -sound as she scanned the surrounding forest with her eyes that looked almost colorless in the bright sunlight.  
\- Could it be… the Elf king said and paused as he hesitated a little. Ylenia turned to look at him and then he continued “…My embrace?” Thranduil asked with an uncharacteristically shy tone. The Northern Witch smiled briefly and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear when there was a chilly wind blowing from the north. The wind danced with the hem of her cloak and worked its way under the warm clothes, making Ylenia shiver almost violently. The smile faded away from Ylenia’s face when she turned to look north and stared at the never-ending forest with a deeply puzzled expression… soft whispers in the wind… speaking in riddles. Ylenia took a couple of steps away from Thranduil and just as she was about to step astray from the narrow forest path, her thoughts were distracted by the loving voice again.  
\- Come home. Thranduil said and spread his arms wide open for her.  
\- Huh? Ylenia asked as she recoiled from her thoughts.  
\- Come to me. Thranduil said and extended his hand to the blue-haired woman.  
   
Ylenia put her cold hand on Thranduil’s and as soon as she had done so, Thranduil pulled her into his arms. He wrapped his arms as well as his winter cloak tightly around her and held her close as he fought the shivers that holding the Northern Witch gave him when she slid her hands under his tunic and felt the skin of his back with her fingertips. “You’re so warm” she whispered against the Elf King’s chest and pressed her hands against the curve of his back. This made Thranduil gasp for air but he had decided that he wouldn’t push the lady away, even though she obviously didn’t quite understand how cold her hands were. “I will warm you up, my love” he said, drew back a little bit and cupped her delicate face with his large, warm hand.  
   
Thranduil examined Ylenia’s eyes and then leaned closer. He stopped just as he was about to press his lips against hers but he wanted to let the anticipation grow a little first. Ylenia got on her tippy-toes and reached to kiss the tall elf, but he had firmly decided to control the situation now. Her attempts made the king chuckle as he teased her by brushing his nose against hers. Finally he landed his lips on hers and after nibbling her lower lip a couple of times, he engaged her into a modest, sweet kiss. Thranduil slid his hand under Ylenia’s winter cloak and opened the long row of buttons of her dress from the back one by one and when he had opened most of them, he slid his hand on her back to caress her skin.  
   
This was when the kiss changed more demanding and passionate as well as hungrier. Thranduil rubbed the curve of her back with firm and assertive, yet gentle motions and moved his other hand from her neck into her hair. Ylenia felt the king’s behind through his trousers and moved her other hand on his chest where she opened the clasps of his tunic slowly until the shirt was completely open from the front and the flawless skin of his chest was exposed to the lady. Thranduil moved to kiss Ylenia’s neck and to nibble her earlobe with his lips as well as his teeth. He sucked, licked and bit the sensitive skin, planted openmouthed kisses on her neck and reached to feel her behind under the silky fabric of her dress as his other hand pulled her hair lightly and guided Ylenia’s head in such angles that pleased him the most.  
   
Thranduil untangled his fingers from Ylenia’s hair and moved it slowly along her ear, rubbing the earlobe a bit and then continuing on her neck and eventually venturing to her shoulders. He traced the flattering neckline with his fingertips and let his fingers dive under the fabric every once in a while. He felt her breasts through the fabric, teased and caressed them in the most arousing way as his mouth moved lower to devour her collarbones and the skin that was exposed the generous neckline.  
   
Ylenia massaged the scalp of the Elf King as she enjoyed his hot lips on her cool skin. She moved her hand from his behind on his manhood and rubbed him through the fabric of his trousers. This time Thranduil did not tell her to stop or guide her hand elsewhere. However when Ylenia was slipped her hand under his trousers, the elf suddenly gasped and jerked because her hands were still so cold. Ylenia opened her eyes instantly and pulled her hand away. She realized that her skin was as pale as fresh snow and that Thranduil’s skin was covered with Goosebumps.  
   
\- I hurt you, didn’t I? she asked with a concerned and apologetic tone.  
\- No, my love. You cannot hurt me. Thranduil spoke with a reassuring voice.  
\- But I did. she sighed and then the elf took her hands, lifted them higher and pressed soft kisses on her palms.  
\- These hands could never hurt me. he spoke and planted soft, loving kisses on her wrists as well. Then he crossed his fingers with hers and pulled her closer. He leaned in and searched her lips with his, traced them with his tongue and spoke against them “And your lips could never offend me so deeply that I wouldn’t be able to forgive you.” Thranduil slid his tongue inside her mouth and lured her to open it for him. The elf pressed his mouth firmly against hers and kissed her in such deep and passionate way that made her head spin and her feet melt.

\- In fact… your beautiful mouth can provide me such intense… glorious pleasure… Thranduil spoke with the slightly hoarse, deep tone as he panted against her lips after the long, consuming kiss. He cupped Ylenia’s breast and squeezed her nipple through the silky fabric while he asked “Would you like to try, my love?”  
\- We shouldn’t. Ylenia panted and moaned softly when she felt her body tingle from his touch.  
\- Why not? No one is looking. the elf said and chuckled lightly when he reached to touch her breast under the fabric. “And even if someone was, I do not care” he murmured against her lips mischievously as he rubbed her nipple through the fabric between his fingers. This time Ylenia gasped “Stop” and Thranduil pulled his hand away immediately.  
\- What’s wrong? he asked and cupped her face gently.  
\- I am afraid. she said hesitantly, still staying close to the elf’s warm body.  
\- What are you afraid of, my love? Thranduil asked with a confused tone.  
\- That something bad… will happen. she replied and then added “Like last time” with a barely audible tone. Ylenia stepped a little further away, letting cold air get between their bodies even though they were both surrounded by the king’s large cloak. Thranduil remembered the last time all too well and he was painfully aware of the fact that when he and she let the passion lead them… if they allowed themselves to lose control… it could possibly be amazingly great or… devastatingly bad. The last time it had led into a terrible quarrel and there was no way to know that it could be avoided this time.  
   
\- I want to be yours, my love. the elf said and pressed a kiss on her knuckles. “I am not ashamed of this... of us... and I shall walk proudly through the palace with you in the morning... every morning" he continued, pulled her closer into his embrace again and declared "I refuse to hide my feelings... to hide this love that burns within me. This sincere affection that I carry in my heart for you... so deep and intense that sometimes I feel overwhelmed... almost like my heart was about to burst." Thranduil's tone was proud and it was bursting with confidence. “Allow me to be yours” he whispered and guided her hand on his manhood again. Thranduil loosened the ribbons of his trousers, placed his hand over hers and crossed his fingers with hers, moving it against his flesh slowly.  
\- My love. he moaned and then guided Ylenia to slide her hand under his pants. He kept his hand over her as he got her familiar to the smooth skin and then he encouraged her to wrap her hand around the shaft. This made Thranduil moan quite loudly, especially when Ylenia reached to kiss his chest. “Move your hand” he pleaded and threw his head back, moving his hips in the same rhythm with her hand. Ylenia enjoyed the sounds, the moans, groans and the gasps that escaped the king’s lips and therefore she encouraged her mind to trace his chest with her tongue. Ylenia pushed the king to stand against a tree and drew back to admire the handsome face of her loved on, the face that now was decorated with the expression of deep arousal and desire.  
   
Just as Ylenia was about to continue kissing the king’s chest, she noticed the frostbite on Thranduil’s skin, right above his heart. Ylenia touched the injury with her fingertips and her mind was instantly filled with an intense feeling of threat and shadow. “Glowing eyes” she gasped, pulled her hand out from his trousers and stepped away from Thranduil when another image hit her. Thranduil opened his eyes and stared at Ylenia with a confused look on his face. He panted and after catching his breath, he asked “What’s wrong?”  
   
\- That’s a frostbite. she stated. Thranduil shook his head as he tried to mask his frustration with the sudden end to the pleasure he had experienced.  
\- I have seen many frostbites, Thranduil. Ylenia stated and then after a short pause, she continued “But never on an elf as powerful as you.”  
\- It is nothing. he said and tightened the ribbons of his trousers.  
\- I saw… a shadow… glowing eyes. Ylenia spoke and tried to recall the mental image that she had gotten, staring elsewhere as she tried to turn her thoughts into words. “A monster from my past” she mumbled and then shifted her gaze back to the tall elf.  
\- I caused this... Somehow. Ylenia gasped and covered her mouth so she wouldn’t burst into tears completely. She held her breath and then gasped for air sharply as the first tears rolled on her cheeks against her will.  
   
\- My darling. Thranduil said and walked to Ylenia who was now crying quite hysterically. “My love” he spoke and hugged her. He slid his hands behind her back and closed the buttons of her dress, moved his hand under her chin and guided her to loo at him.  
\- Let me take you to bed. he suggested. “To sleep” he added softly and smiled a little as he tried to find answers in her tear-filled eyes.  
\- I cannot sleep. Ylenia sighed and when the elf asked her “Why?” she spoke with shaky voice “The nightmares will haunt me.”  
\- Shhh, my love. My dearest. the king spoke and leaned closer. He pressed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth and promised that nothing would threaten her from now on.

Thranduil knew that he was partially lying and Ylenia had every right to feel scared. If the creatures that the king had faced last night wanted something from Ylenia, most likely Thranduil wouldn’t be able to stop them but he decided that he would protect the Northern Witch with his life if he needed to. Whatever those wraiths had been, Thranduil wouldn’t let them take Ylenia away from him. Never, because Ylenia’s place was beside the Elf King in Mirkwood, not in the freezing cold twilight somewhere far up in the north.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Lexianne25, thank you for the comment and sorry that this took so long!


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